Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua struck a deal with Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) and Red Cross to supply meat to schools in a bid to tackle hunger in the country.
Speaking on Friday, October 7, Gachagua noted that the government listened to grievances raised by farmers who were losing their animals. It thus agreed to purchase the animals and distribute the meat to families facing hunger.
The meat would be canned before being supplied to schools.
“As a part of the mitigation, we have agreed with the KMC and the Kenya Red Cross within bits of the County Coordinating system that we shall purchase livestock for slaughtering and distribution to the needy population of feeding, and at the same time we prepare canned beef for distribution to the schools so that our children can go to school without failure,” he stated.
To further tackle the drought menace, the DP explained that a central command had been put in place to ensure coordination in relief distribution in all affected counties.
Speaking after chairing a meeting that was attended by Governors from Arid and Semi- Arid (ASAL) areas at his Harambee Annex office, Nairobi, Gachagua noted the efforts were aimed at ensuring no Kenyan dies of hunger.
“The National Government will mobilise resources while county governments have agreed to complement us. Our development partners have also agreed to support us in containing the famine situation,” he stated.
Gachagua further urged governors and county commissioners to chair county coordination committees that will compile lists of needy families instead of abdicating to their juniors.
The county coordinating teams will then be involved in distribution to enhance accountability.
“The national government will mobilise resources while county governments have agreed to provide resources. Our development partners have also agreed to support us in containing the famine situation,” he said.
“The teams will then come to the national secretariat that is domiciled here in my office for intervention and supply of relief food,” the DP insisted.
n the new operation, officers drawn from the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) will also be deployed to provide water rigs and drill boreholes across the country.
Notable leaders who attended the meeting include Treasury CS Ukur Yatani, his Transport counterpart, James Macharia, and Interior principal secretary Karanja Kibicho.
The title to this article is quite eye catching,if not suggestive to mean that a private deal was struck.not professional at all.