Population control.On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 2:26 PM, warigia bowman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Alex
This is crazy. Why do you think this happened?On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 5:10 AM, Alex Gakuru <[log in to unmask]> 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
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&
