President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed the National Treasury to set up the Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund.
The principal object of the Fund shall be to mobilize resources for emergency response towards containing the spread, effects and impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The seed capital of the Fund shall be drawn from the Exchequer, including the voluntary salary-cuts undertaken by the senior ranks of the Executive, Judiciary, Legislature and County Governments.
The Exchequer contributions shall be supplemented by donations by Kenyan individuals and corporate entities, grants from development partners and multinational institutions, and such other gifts, subscriptions and contributions as the Fund may receive from time to time.
This comes a day after Dagoretti South Member of Parliament John Kiarie urged the gorvernment to establish the fund.
“GoK MUST partner with Private sector to build Kenya’s biggest disaster response band wagon that any well wisher can jump on to and plug in their support,” tweeted Kiarie.
The Fund shall be governed by a Board led by Ms Jane W. Karuku as the chairperson and members including Mr Michael Joseph and Dr James Mwanqi.
Other members include Dr Narenda Raval, Mr Joshua Oigara, Mr Jeremy Awori, Mr Wachira Waruru, Mr Mohammed Hersi, Ms Phyllis Wakiaqa and Mr Kennedy W. Kihara.
Read: COVID-19: Buy Ventilators With Ksh10 Billion BBI Money, Kenyans Tell Uhuru
The President has further designated Interior Fred Matiang’i and Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya as the joint representatives of the Government of the Republic of Kenya.
“The Government of Kenya calls upon all Kenyans, Corporate Entities both domestic and multinational, as well as our international development partners to support the national initiative. By doing so, Kenya will be better able to successfully contain the spread, effects and impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on our citizens, and particularly the most vulnerable members of society,” read a statement from Statehouse.
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