President Uhuru Kenyatta has constituted a 10-member board to oversee the Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund.
The board is expected to foster the national response to the coronavirus pandemic, Statehouse spokesperson Kanze Dena said in a statement yesterday.
The board will be chaired by Jane Karuku and its members include acting Safaricom CEO Micheal Joseph, Equity Group Chief Executive James Mwangi, Dr Narenda Raval, KCB CEO Joshua Oigara and Absa Bank Kenya PLC Managing Director Jeremy Awori.
Others are Royal Media Services MD Wachira Waruru, Mohammed Hersi and Kenya Association of Manufacturers CEO Phyllis Wakiaga.
While Kennedy Kihara will be the secretary to the board, Uhuru has designated Interior CS Fred Matiangi and the Chairperson Council of Governors Wycliffe Oparanya as joint representatives of the government.
“The principal objective of the fund shall be to mobilize resources for an emergency response towards containing the spread, effects and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” a statement reads in part.
President Kenyatta said that the emergency response fund will help mitigate the effects and impacts of Coronavirus.
“The seed capital of the Fund shall be drawn from the Exchequer, including the voluntary salary-cuts undertaken by the senior ranks of the Executive, Judiciary, Legislature and County Governments. The Exchequer contributions shall be supplemented by donations by Kenyan individuals and corporate entities, grants from our development partners and multinational institutions, and such other gifts, subscriptions and contributions as the Fund may receive from time to time,” said Kanze Dena.
“The Government of Kenya calls upon all Kenyans, Corporate Entities both domestic and multinational, as well as our international development partners to support the national initiative.”
Kanze said by so doing Kenya will be better able to successfully contain the spread, effects and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic to its citizens and particularly those vulnerable in the society.
