Equity CEO James Mwangi donates Ksh. 120 M to aid drought-affected areas

Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi has donated Ksh. 120 million ($1 million) to help support families affected by the current drought in the country.

Dr Mwangi made the announcement on Friday during a consultative meeting in Nairobi which was presided over by President William Ruto to discuss the current drought situation in the country.

 “It appears it’s a perennial issue so why don’t we look for a permanent solution? On behalf of my family and the Equity group on matching grant through the Equity Foundation, I will give $1 million,” Mwangi said.

President Ruto on his part said Kenyan communities are in distress over the drought that has 5.1 million Kenyans facing hunger and has decimated 2.5 million livestock.

This, he said while asking development partners to step in and help the government alleviate the suffering of starving Kenyans, and the over one million children battling malnutrition occasioned by drought. He also assured them that the government is pulling all the stops to address the situation and ensure we do not find ourselves in a similar spot again.

“We are in a very precarious situation. 20 counties have been affected... We are facing the fourth consecutive season of rain failure. We have a huge population of our country without food,” President Ruto said.

“I request all over us to bend over backward and see what we can do. As the government, we have to plan ahead of time. We could have done better and I promise that going to the future, we will be better prepared to change this situation. It will  cease being an emergency.”

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua added: “I also want to confirm to our development partners that the president in his wisdom and recognition of the very useful role you play in this country has given me a function in my office to coordinate development partners and make interventions where necessary across government.”

On Friday the Kenya Red Cross Society in partnership with the cereals millers association flagged off relief food to more than 60,000 learners across 150 schools in nine counties aimed at keeping learners in schools during the examination period.