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Kibaki starts cash drive for poll violence victims
Story by JEFF OTIENO
Publication Date: 5/13/2008
President Kibaki and his Cabinet ministers on Monday appeared to set aside the law banning public officers
from conducting harambees and gathered to raise Sh457 million for internal refugees.
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In a manner reminiscent of former President Daniel arap Moi’s
time, Cabinet ministers lined up to hand the President
donations from their ministries.
And in less than three hours, the President announced the final
figure of Sh457,271,129 raised to help families affected by the
post-election violence to resettle. The violence which followed
the disputed presidential election, left more than 1,000 people
dead and 350,000 displaced.
But the figure was still far short of the Sh30 billion budgeted to
help displaced people rebuild their lives.
When he came to power in 2002, President Kibaki and the
then Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Mr Kiraitu
Murungi, went to great lengths to distance the new
administration from harambees.
Mr Murungi successfully lobbied for enactment of the Public
Officer Ethics Act which, among other things, banned civil
servants from presiding over harambees as a way of fighting
corruption and looting of State resources.
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President Kibaki receives a contributions by
the Ministry of Agriculture from minister
William Ruto (right) during a fundraising in
Nairobi, yesterday. Looking on is
Archbishop Ndingi mwana a’Nzeki, the
chairman of the humanitarian fund working
to resettle internal refugees. More than
Sh457 million was raised during the event at
Kenyatta International Conference Centre in
Nairobi. Photo/ PPS
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The President was at Kenyatta International Conference Centre to launch the funds drive at a function
attended by Cabinet ministers, permanent secretaries, members of the diplomatic corps and chief executive
officers of various parastatals.
The function brought to mind similar drives conducted by then President Daniel arap Moi in aid of schools,
churches or water projects.
President Kibaki pledged a donation of Sh5 million towards the resettlement kitty, insisting that it will be his
personal contribution.
The ceremony differed from others as ministers both from ODM and PNU led their assistants and PSs in
presenting cheques to the President.
The president then presented the cheques to the chairman of the fund, retired Archbishop Ndingi mwana a’
Nzeki. Donors were warned that it was now a criminal offence to issue bouncing cheques.
Public Service
The Ministry of Agriculture led by William Ruto topped the list of donors with Sh298 million, money
contributed by members of staff and parastatals under it.
The newly created office of the Prime Minister donated Sh500,000 with a pledge to give more. The cheque
was presented to the President by Public Service minister Dalmas Otieno as the PM, Mr Raila Odinga, was
in Western Province. The Office of the Vice President donated Sh512,700. The cheque was presented by
Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka.
The Ministry of Energy led by Mr Kiraitu Murungi donated Sh14.8 million.
Other contributors were Ministry of Medical Services( Sh6.6 million), Office of the President (Sh6.3 million)
and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sh4.6 million.
Ministry of Trade headed by Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and the Ministry of Local Government led
by Deputy PM Musalia Mudavadi donated Sh1.3 million each.
The government of Algeria donated Sh30 million while China gave Sh1.38 million.
Speaking during the launch, President Kibaki urged Kenyans and the international community to help the
government bridge the Sh29 billion deficit needed for the resettlement.
It requires Sh30 billion. The money will be used for construction of new houses, replacement of household
effects as well as rehabilitation of community utilities and institutions destroyed in the violence.
Already, the Government has donated Sh1 billion to the fund also known as the Humanitarian Fund for
Mitigation of Effects and Resettlement of Victims of Post-2007 Election Violence.
He said the resettlement programme must succeed adding that those displaced were mainly smallholder
farmers who played a major role in food production.
Food production
There is fear that famine might hit the country as food production is expected to decline in the face of
spiralling global prices.
Seated with President Kibaki at the dais was Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, Speaker of the National
Assembly Kenneth Marende, Internal Security minister George Saitoti and his Special Programmes
counterpart, Dr Naomi Shaaban.
President Kibaki said the resettlement which started with those who were in the camps, will now move to the
next phase; address the plight of those who took shelter in homes of friends and relatives after their property
were destroyed.
Last week alone, he said 85,000 displaced persons returned to their farms under the Operation Rudi
Nyumbani programme. Prof Saitoti said 70,000 people were still in the camps, adding that the task of
maintaining them was a major challenge to the Government.
He said the Government will soon convene a meeting with donors and NGOs to seek support for the
resettlement.
Prof Saitoti said the provincial administration is compiling a list of all property destroyed during the violence.
He said 32 new police stations and 40 administration police posts had been built in the affected areas to
restore security.
Mr Musyoka said though construction of police stations was critical, there was need of encouraging
reconciliation among the different communities.
“It is time for proper national healing and reconciliation and we will need more than construction of police
stations,” said the VP.
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