Why Kenya hasn’t given a cent to earthquake-devastated Haiti

Governments all over the world have pledged more than $1 billion (Sh75 billion) in emergency aid to Haiti.

The givers include some of the poorest African countries, such as Liberia, Sierra Leone and Rwanda. Liberia and Sierra Leone, which gave $50,000 each, are rebuilding after years of bloody civil war, while Rwanda, which gave $100,000, is poorer than Haiti.

Haiti was devastated by an earthquake on January 12. The tremor measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale flattened the capital, Port-au-Prince, killed more than 200,000 people and made 1 million homeless and now in need of emergency relief supplies.

What we are learning from the outpourings of aid to the Haitian victims is the same lesson from the story of Jesus and the widow who gave a mite.

Whatever we give, no matter how small, it is big. The biggest contributions are not from the rich who give only a small part of their wealth, but from the poor.

WE SHOULD ASK OURSELVES WHY SOME people, governments and organisations give during disasters, while others do not give. What are their motives?

Does giving depend on how much we know about the victims, or feel close to the victims? Is it feelings of sympathy that evoke giving? Is it the images of the pain and suffering that we see on television? What is mystifying is that many African governments have been left behind in coming to Haiti’s aid.

In contrast, some five years ago they were falling over themselves to give to the Katrina victims when the tropical storm devastated the American city of New Orleans.

The Kenyan Government, for example, promptly gave $100,000 (Sh7.5 million) for the Katrina victims. But by February 3 — three weeks after the tragedy struck — it had not donated a cent for the Haitians (as far as is publicly known).

It did not even send a message of condolences to the people of Haiti, though President Kibaki expressed his support for the people of Haiti in his speech earlier this week at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa.

Yet, the Haitian disaster had the greatest emotional proximity for Kenyans and Africans than the Katrina catastrophe. Haitians are descendants of former Africans forcibly taken from Africa more than 400 years ago to work as slaves in the plantations of the New World.

Haitians were the only slaves who successfully revolted and won back their freedom in 1804. They did a Mau Mau thing to their enslavers. Toussaint l’Ouverture, considered the father of Haiti, led a rag-tag army and defeated the powerful forces of Spain, England and France.

Originally named François Dominique Toussaint, he took on the name l’ouverture-— the opening — announcing to his people that he would open the door to a better future.

“I was born a slave,” he wrote, “but received from nature the soul of a free man.”

For Africans, Haiti stands as a symbol for liberty. But many African governments have not shown any real solidarity with the people of Haiti in their hour of greatest need. Kenya, in fact, is not alone.

Ethiopia, which gave $100,000 (Sh7.5 million) for the Katrina disaster, had by Wednesday, this week, given nothing. Similarly, Egypt and Tunisia, which sent C-130 planes loaded with relief supplies for the Katrina victims, have sent nothing.

The list of African defaulters is long. While we recognise the financial difficulties many African governments face, we must conclude that continent’s governments have been sluggish. Only about a dozen promptly sent money or any other help.

SENEGAL, OF COURSE, GAVE THE FIRST emotional outpouring of support by offering land to resettle Haitians. President Abdoulaye Wade also took the issue to the African Union. Later, he announced a donation of $1 million (Sh75 million).

He also said he was ready to draft a law to deduct three days’ pay from the salaries of all Senegalese workers to be donated to Haiti.

I think I should end this piece with a prayer: “Lord, we continue to pray for the people of Haiti. Give them courage and hope.

“Be with all those working hard to help them resume normal lives.

“Help all givers, large and small, so that the money they raise is sent speedily to bring love and hope to the victims. And please touch the Kenyan Government.”

gigirimwaura@yahoo.com