Outcry as relief food expires in Kenya Red Cross warehouse

[warigia bowman]

Yes, except the culprit is the NGO sector, not the government. The Kenyan
Red Cross has traditionally been a very reputable organization. I cannot
believe they blundered in this manner.

On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 4:35 PM, Sarah El Ebiary <sarahelebiary at gmail.com>wrote:

> Population control.
>
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 2:26 PM, warigia bowman <warigia at aucegypt.edu>wrote:
>
>> 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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