ODM launches humanitarian initiative

The Orange Democratic Movement launched a humanitarian relief initiative on Thursday, which it said was not meant to undermine government.

The party leadership said the intention was not to compete with the government but an effort to show solidarity with victims of various forms of disasters and conflicts.

“We are not in competition with the government. We are in partnership. We will always bear in mind the words of the party leader that in times of tragedy there is no opposition and there is no government,” Deputy Party Leader Ali Hassan Joho, who is the patron of the initiative, said at the launch of the relief service.

The Mombasa governor gave the first donation of Sh50,000 towards the programme through the M-Pesa pay bill number 673673 and the same account number.

Nyatike MP’s wife Mrs Anne Anyanga, who was accompanied by her husband, donated learning material including exercise books.

The party made an appeal for donations from well-wishers, calling for any form of support.

“What is important is we need money. It doesn’t matter how much money you send us, even Sh50 will be good for us,” Mr Joho said at the launch attended by several party MPs and officials.

According to the party, the humanitarian relief response initiative was prompted by the serious humanitarian crisis experienced in parts of the country, particularly following recent conflicts in Baringo.

“Baringo seems to be the stroke that broke the camel’s back,” Mr Joho said.

SERIOUS CONFLICT
Last week, party leader Raila Odinga visited Baringo where several people were killed and hundreds of families displaced following a serious conflict. Learning was also affected after several schools closed as a result.

It is said that it is while there that he called his deputy — the Mombasa governor — and challenged him to find out to come up with possible ways of intervention.

At the same time, the party’s prayer group and peace and reconciliation movement had been grappling with the question and the initiative was borne.

Mrs Ogla Karani, the head of the peace movement said through the relief intervention, the party would seek to provide support to all affected persons in humanitarian crisis situations.

The party said though it will be its first stop, the intervention in Baringo will not be the last.

“We intend to stand in solidarity with Kenyans in distress wherever they are and whenever we can within our limited means,” Mr Joho said.

“The tales from Baringo are easily replicated in many other parts of the country where fighting is off and on from Kapedo to Narok, Baragoi to Marsabit, Garissa to Tana River to Mombasa, the list is endless,” said the Deputy Party Leader.

MORAL RESPONSIBILITY

Ugunja MP Opiyo Andayi said the party had a moral responsibility to provide leadership as it could not continue burying its head in the sand when Kenyans were in distress.

“They say extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. As a party we had a choice to continue lamenting as Kenyans do or take a definite step to make a change, we have come up with this initiative to provide support to our brothers and sisters in our own small way… we felt this was an appropriate step,” he said.

“We are saying as a country we cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand yet a catastrophe is developing before our own eyes, it’s regrettable that Kenyans in this day and age continue to die when they have a government with that responsible,” he stated.

He termed it a responsible and responsive movement to rally the country and urged Kenyans of goodwill to join the effort.

The party has appealed for exercise books, textbooks, foodstuff, building material like iron sheets and poles, mosquito nets, drugs, among others.

The collection point for material will be at its Orange House headquarters while cash donations will be through the launched M-Pesa number.