THE UNSINKABLE THAT SUNK

 DON*PAYBILL NUMBER SYNDICATE*

Kenyans are dying of hunger due to prolonged famine.

Rugby club the _Shujaz_ are yet to be paid. And they are lack funds to take them to upcoming South African  tourney.  

The Shujaz men are out of money and they lack funds to help drive their activities. In response to this Caroll Radull came in to rescue of these guys by launching a paybill number 891300 and account number 60365. This is to raise funds to support the helpless rugby players.

The players who once made Kenya proud by claiming victory and they put Kenya on global maps. It is a horrible and shameful  to see the Shujaz at the helm of begging.  The sports now turning to be business and the government is quiet over the issue and doing nothing to revive hopes of these individuals.

Paybill number is still in the market. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua  on behalf of the Government have also launched a paybill to help raise funds for the affected hunger -striken citizens. 

The Government is begging its citizens to provide. 

Then it is Kenya and Kenya is for the rich and the poor for the rich.

On Tuesday,29th of November, the Deputy President has taken an initiative of giving free gifts in form of money to the pupils at Komarock Primary School who are sitting for their exams. " I will sponsor a party for Komarock Primary School after your exams, Ksh.300,000 for the bash. You can celebrate once you are done, Ksh.100,000 for the teachers as well to enjoy themselves," Rigathi Gachagua's statement.

This statement in relation to what the Deputy President is preaching that the will working Kenyans to donate some of their salaries to the famine stricken individuals, where he has gone to an extent of  establishing a committee,Drought Response Committee and the paybill has been launched 880990 to be the Paybill number.

Whenever I hear of paybill numbers I relate it to personal business enterprise. And in Kenya such money cannot be audited, what if someone finds a way of laundering funds donated by willful hearted Kenyans? Who will audit and on which basis will that person be charged? 

In the year 2015, when teachers countrywide went on strike for long periods , we cannot fail to forget that the then opposition led by Honourable Raila Odinga launched an initiative to support the teachers who were not getting paid due to strike.

The willing Kenyans take the matter seriously and they were contributing as transparency is concerned, they were keeping records and updating Kenyans how contribution was being done.

Later, the matter was taken to court and the opposition won, because there was no grounds to charge and convict Raila Odinga and his ilks . How the money was used in not known upto today, the teachers never benefited from the funds which were raised on their behalf.

This is like taking kindness and generosity of Kenyans for granted, when the Government is coming with the same tactic to salvage the communities affected by hunger.

Kenyans themselves have financial  problems and unsolved.

As all these drama of Paybill taking place here in Kenya, a lot is to be narrated.

Kenya is bragging to be economically stronger than her neighbours. Kenya is cementing its position as the largest economy in the Eastern African region, she is even bragging to joining the club of the economic valued at sh.10 trillion.

How then should we brag yet the Government is doing gambling with people's lives and money. A country that is strong among its neighbours cannot thrive on her own and feed the hungry Kenyans. Gambling with people's lives because no surety that Kenyans will donate and satisfy the famine regions , what if no contribution made? Will starving Kenyans continue suffering at the fangs of hunger just because the Government was dependent on the citizens to contribute and people failed and also gambling with people's money because, perhaps the money will not end up to be used as was to, they may end up to fit in the pockets of rich individuals than benefiting the regions under the dreadful hunger menace.

45.7 million Kenyans either poor or on the brink of poverty.

According to World Food Programme report prepared in partnership with UNICEF and a quote of World Bank, 96% of Kenyans do not have any extra cash beyond what they need to survive day today.

Yet the Government is expecting its citizens to donate, as  if the citizens are all happy and steadily well of.

Statistics from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) majority of working Kenyans are payslip away from sinking into poverty, and the official data shows that 1 in 5 working Kenyans holds a permanent job. And of these 2 millions employees,95% take home less than sh.100,000 a month.

Yet Deputy President is expecting these Kenyans to donate part of their salaries.

Nearly all Kenyan households spend more than half their income on foods , this is according to 2019 census data. And the Government still wants to gamble with Kenyans' money, as if  no one is struggling to make ends meet.

34% of the population are extremely poor(living on less than $1.9 simply sh.190 per day, this is according to World Bank as statistics based on different international poverty line. 59% was extremely or moderately poor that is less than $3.2 simply sh.310 a day while 94% of the population was either poor or vulnerable that is less than $10 simply sh.1000.

With this kind of economy and low coming citizens, the Government is still talking about paybill and Kenyans to donate while the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is donating money to some pupils in school who are not even starving.

The Government has failed to protect lives of Kenyans and have also fail to provide basic needs to Kenyans.

This is just a litmus test and the neighbours as well at the global scope are putting their eyes on Kenya.

In fact, Kenya beats out neighbours such as Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. Kenya, according to International Monetary Fund has its economy bigger than Rwanda, South Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia, Burundi and Uganda's combined.

How can now Kenyan brag of the best economy when it is clear that the country cannot feed her citizens but only through paybill contribution 

It is Kenya and Kenya is for the rich and the poor for the rich.

By. OKECH GLEN