On Thurdsay, the Kenya Red Cross Society launched the ‘Support A Family’ campaign complete with a MPESA Paybill number, at the Boma Hotel, to help fundraise for Kenyans in drought stricken counties.
This initiative is akin to the 2011 one dubbed ‘Kenyans for Kenya’ initiative which is said to have collected over Kshs 1 billion for drought victims in that year.
Immediately, Kenyans online went ‘guns blazing’ with the hashtag #RedCrossTumechoka (Red Cross, we are tired) tearing down the campaign by raising accountability questions concerning the use of the Kshs. 1 billion 8 years ago.
Most Kenyans accused Kenya Red Cross of using the money to enrich itself.
However, this did not escape the mention of one of the launchers. PR Mogul Gina-Din Kariuki mentioned that ‘they’ are aware that Kenyans are still asking questions about the ‘Kenyans for Kenya’ money and that they have all the numbers.
“If you still have questions around Kenyans for Kenya, ask us. We have all the numbers. Kenyans always come through in times of disaster, I believe this time Kenyans will also come through.” She said.
The government of Kenya was not spared either as most people wondered why the government was not able to feed its people, yet grains in the national reserves are rotting away.
Drought Situation
Slightly over 850,000 Kenyans in the top 12 counties are in dire need, requiring immediate food assistance, according to Relief Web figures. Kenya Red Cross says that the number is rising and currently stands at 1.1 million.
Here are some of the tweets we sampled:
https://twitter.com/JuliusMmasi/status/1108825884159553536
Its late night but i cant contain my anger. THE PATRON OF RED CROSS is Uhuru, President of the republic of Kenya. Red cross is busy scamming Kenyans with Kenyans for Kenya yet their own patron has maize he can use to feed #Turkana for 7 months nonstop. #RedCrossTumechoka
— Lord Abraham Mutai (@ItsMutai) March 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/_Atanasi/status/1108815357526061057
https://twitter.com/djexite/status/1108864088455725057
Mr. Abbas do you have the contact of @UKenyatta @WilliamsRuto? They have more from the looted funded #RedCrossTumechoka
— Adolwa (@smith538) March 21, 2019
#RedCrossTumechoka Hard 4 me 2 write this.But Redcross & Gvmnt shud b invtgd by @DCI_Kenya this is getin out of hand.Hw many times hv Kenyans donates 2 the same Turkana issue?& Year afta yr its the same issue.Stop conin kenyans enuf is enuf
— Ichimuntu (@ichimuntu) March 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/Matoke_/status/1108869232278802433
