Outcry as relief food expires in Kenya Red Cross warehouse

[warigia bowman]

Alex

This is crazy. Why do you think this happened?

On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 5:10 AM, Alex Gakuru <gakuru at gmail.com> wrote:

> [Kenyans are furious with Red Cross after they contributed precious money
> and foods under a locally initiated "Kenyans for Kenyans" famine relief
> campaign. We raised far much more than those foreign humanitarian relief
> operations could, only for Red Cross to lock up the food and let it expire
> in their stores! A shame on Red Cross. They owe Kenyans and the world an
> apology. The "International Community" must safeguard against their
> demonstrated negligence from ever happening again, anywhere around the
> world - Alex Gakuru]
>
> - - -
>
> By Lucas Ng’asike
>
> [image: nhcap120112_01.jpg]
>
> Tonnes of relief food meant for the starving in Turkana County have
> expired in Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) warehouse in Lodwar.
>
> Some food expired on January 8 while another consignment is expected to go
> bad next week.
> The relief food has been in the store for months.
>
> KRCS relief officer in Lodwar Ms Flora Kyondo confirmed the expiry of the
> supplies.
>
> Ms Kyondo was at pains to explain why the food was not distributed on
> time. "It is true that food has expired in the store but it is now under
> the custody of public health officers," said Kyondo.
>
> Kyondo said the organisation stopped distribution of relief food in
> October last year.
>
> The relief officer said they had recalled about 1,866 Unimix bags, which
> they had distributed to primary schools for analysis.
>
> Expired food
>
> However, sources said the organisation has been distributing relief food
> in its compound in Lodwar.
>
> Kyondo had initially denied the presence of the food until the media
> confirmed to her that they had taken clips of the expired food.
>
> Turkana Central DC Humphrey Nakitare said Kenya Red Cross Society should
> handle the matter.
>
> "Kenya Red Cross is an independent organisation. It should be in a
> position to explain what happened," said the DC.
>
> On his part, Turkana Central District Public Health officer Innocent
> Sifuna said officials had seized 28 bales of Sorghum Mix, which expired on
> January 8 this year from Kenya Red Cross warehouse in Lodwar.
>
> He added that all the bales have been recorded and will be destroyed
> according to the law.
>
> Disappointment
>
> Dozens of starving residents in the county interviewed have expressed
> disappointment over the expiry of relief food meant for them.
>
> Local leaders raised concern over the matter, questioning why KRCS kept
> the food in the warehouse for several months without distributing it to
> needy residents.
>
> Mr Derrick Ejore of Kenya Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it was
> unfair for KRCS to keep the food until it expires while residents are
> starving.
>
> "It is unjust for Red Cross to waste food, which Kenyans donated funds to
> buy yet the hunger situation has not been alleviated," Ejore said.
>
> http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=2000049866&cid=4&
>
>
>
>
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