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Kenya: Sh400 Million Raised to Help Resettle Displaced Families
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Business Daily (Nairobi)
12 May 2008
Posted to the web 12 May 2008
Mwaura Kimani
A national fund-raiser to help resettle displaced families realised more than Sh400 million yesterday, raising fresh hopes of further economic reconstruction.
The funds are expected to pay for food aid, rebuild homes and schools, and settle more than 300,000 people as part of a reconstruction strategy that includes national reconciliation, security and peace building. The bulk of the money will come from development partners.
The Government had re-allocated Sh1.25 billion from the current budget for the purpose and needs Sh30 billion for the plan.
Analysts had warned that economic growth could slow down to three per cent this year shackled by the ripple effects of January's post- election turmoil - where more than 350,000 people were uprooted from their farms in the Rift Valley and at least 1,000 killed.
"Although we will make allocations in the June budget for the 2008/2009 financial year, we need more since the damage caused during the crisis was huge, " said President Kibaki during the fund raising meeting.
The resettlement is expected to boost investor confidence as well as agriculture, at a time when Kenyans are grappling with high food prices triggered by among other factors reduced farming activities in the Rift Valley - Kenya's breadbasket.
This is the first national fund- raising activity presided over by President Kibaki since he was elected in 2003, and is likely to trigger debate especially from critics since it was made illegal the same year.
Public officers and State employees are barred by the Public Officer Ethics Act from organising or presiding over such fund-raising activities, locally called harambees.
They were introduced by Kenya's first president Jomo Kenyatta to encourage Kenyans to pool resources for development. But government officials have long abused them to acquire funds for themselves and politicians have used them to fund election campaigns.
There has been no substantive change on the economic front since January, despite the restoration of calm and the formation of a coalition Government after the signing of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act.
The resettlement of the displaced people could resuscitate agriculture - the backbone of the economy - in most areas, although it leaves the Government with a hard task ahead in dealing with about 13 million needy Kenyans who deserve a rescue plan.
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At least six million poor Kenyans, currently living in informal urban settlements, and another seven million peasant farmers and pastoralists in rural areas, need urgent attention if the present socio/political crisis is not permanently resolved.
Yesterday, the shilling firmed slightly against the dollar in slow trade with commercial banks quoting it at 61.45/65 to the dollar, compared with Friday's close of 61.60/70 and it is expected to strengthen as banks unwind long dollar positions.
According to Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura, Government employees were requested to give personal donations, which were pooled by the different institutions.
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