Friday, August 28, 2009
The Government has commended the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) for its humanitarian relief efforts in Kenya and the region.
Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula Friday termed the Kenya Red Cross Society as a good example for other humanitarian organizations to follow.
Wetangula was addressing delegates during the Fifth New Partnership for African Red Cross (NEPARC) Annual General Meeting in Nairobi.
He said the association has been way ahead of the Government in responding to many emergencies in the country.
The Minister cited the post election violence in the country in 2007/08, where KRCS personnel delivered assistance to displaced people across the country apart from trying to dissuade various groups not to engage in lawlessness.
He especially singled out the association's Secretary General Abbas Gullet who he said traversed the country providing humanitarian aid, often encountering rowdy
and marauding youth "whom he had to calm down in order to assist the wounded, reach the hungry and build shelters for people evicted from their homes".
"Abbas Gullet has distinctively transformed Kenya Red Cross into a phenomenal organization that has achieved phenomenal success," the Minister said.
He said the Government will continue supporting KRCS to ensure it continued to function effectively and at the same time praised its accountability record compared to many other Non Governmental Organisations in the country.
"The government entrusted funds to the Kenya Red Cross through the Ministry of Special Programmes during the post election violence and other African National Societies ought to emulate the Society by working closely with their governments," he said.
The Minister challenged African nations to focus on homegrown solutions to disasters.
He cited the Western countries response to the Yugoslavia crisis by putting together US$50 billion.
"But African nations are unable to raise US$2 billion save Somalia and settle millions of refugees in the continent," he said.
The Chairman of NEPARC, Mr. Tom Buruku, who is also the Chairman of Uganda Red Cross Society,said over the last five years membership of the partnership had grown tremendously.
He saluted KRCS Secretary General for being behind the spirit of NEPARC saying he had 'walked the talk'.
"Kenya Red Cross has become a model to African national societies," said Mr Buruku.
Mr Buruku said a number of African Red Cross/Red Crescent societies have been visiting Kenya to see the humanitarian work of the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), which, a decade ago, was at par with the Uganda Red Cross.
The conference was attended by various Secretary Generals and officials of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies from Africa.
Source: KBC, August 28, 2009