Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has asked Kenyans to consider donating a portion of their salaries to a government pay bill to help fight the ongoing famine.
Gachagua said that soldiers under the Kenya Defense Forces had led the way by foregoing a day’s salary amounting to Sh. 130 million to help fight hunger.
“We as a government are making a special appeal to all Kenyans and various stakeholders to support us in saving the lives and livelihoods of our people. We appeal to Kenyans of goodwill to contribute a percentage of their salaries to a pay bill number that will be established soon to contribute to the drought response kitty,” he said.
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“We appeal to Kenyans in food-surplus counties to make their contributions to the office of governors and their respective county commissioners, the governors and country commissioners will work with the task force to be unveiled today.”
Data from the government estimates that more than four million Kenyans are currently facing hunger, with families in the 11 counties of Turkana, Samburu, Tana River, Marsabit, Wajir, Isiolo, Mandera, Garissa, Kitui, Kajiado and Laikipia being some of the worst hit by the drought.
The figures are an increase from the 3.5 million people who were in March this year said to be facing hunger and another 636,000 children suffering from malnutrition.
An additional 942,000 children are also facing malnutrition across the country according to government data.