Gov’t to Roll Out Pay Bill Number to Raise Money for Drought Relief

• The lack of reliable rainfall has continued to plunge the country into drought that has affected more than four million people
• The government has rolled out several strategies to salvage the situation including partnering with development partners
• Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called on Kenyans to contribute to help fellow countrymen to avert the tragedy

The Kenya Kwanza government is set to launch a pay bill number where Kenyans will send money to help others in hunger-stricken regions.

Speaking at the National Steering Committee on Drought Response, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, the KSh 57.8 billion raised in conjunction with development partners will be utilised in feeding over 4 million Kenyans faced by drought.

Hunger and drought in Kenya

The money was raised in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) and will be used to mitigate drought in affected counties.

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Gachagua explained that as the government tried to consolidate funds to help the affected, the contribution from Kenyans would be a major boost to the initiative.

“This initiative will assist in bridging the government resource gap as the drought crisis worsens,” Gachagua said.

An optimistic deputy president said the task force is mandated to raise more funds that will be used to address the short and long-term effects of drought in the affected regions.

He also revealed that the task force would form a private sector-led National Drought Mitigation Appeal Fund that would enable cash transfer programmes and other long-term projects for the affected people.

Rigathi Gachagua’s plea to Kenyans

The second in command requested Kenyans to cooperate and contribute part of their income through the paybill to support affected households.

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“This team’s efforts will, therefore, be only as good as our willingness to lend a helping hand. Now, more than ever, we need to rekindle our spirit of Harambee and be our brother’s and sister’s keepers,” Gachagua pleaded.

Kenyans received the news with mixed reactions, with others saying they would contribute as long as the money was not embezzled.

Red Cross report on drought

The Kenya Red Cross stated that more than four million Kenyans and over two million animals face starvation as the drought continued to eat the country.

Kenyans in counties like Turkana, Samburu, Tana River, Marsabit, Wajir, Isiolo, Mandera, Garissa, Kitui, Kajiado and Laikipia are some of the regions hardest hit, and residents required support in terms of food and water.

Approximately 1.076 million children and pregnant women were acutely malnourished, and Red Cross, in collaboration with the USAID and other government agencies, have been supplying nutritional supplements to fill the gap that the lack of food has brought to enable proper feeding for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Source: TUKO.co.ke