BY
ADOW JUBAT
International community has been
accused of abandoning the burden of refugee to the Kenya government for the
last twenty years.
Speaking at Janju village in Modogashe
sub-county, Garissa county North-Eastern region on Monday, the Swiss ambassador to Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda
and Somalia Jacques pitteloud said the international community needs to do more
in supporting the Kenya government to withstand the burden of hosting over
600,000 refugees.
The ambassador who was handing
over of water projects supported by the Switzerland Government to the local
County administration, said East Africa country took more than its share of international obligations to cater for refugees from Somalia and other parts of Africa and it is unfortunately not recognized for good works as it should have been.
Pitteloud said Kenya government has
been generously hosting refugees from Horn of Africa has been bearing
unbearable difficulties in accommodating in northeastern region people fleeing
from their home countries ravaged by conflicts.
He “Kenya has suffered greatly by
keeping refugees for the last two decades. The country's security, environment
and economical well being has been disrupted by the presence of people looking
for ravaged, but unfortunately, the international communicate is not
reciprocating the country’s generosity as required”,
"International community needs
to appreciate the Kenya's government selfless efforts in hosting hundreds of
thousands of Somali and other refugees from the Horn of Africa ravaged by
communal and political strikes to lessen the burden" He said.
The Swiss ambassador said his
country which has been touched by the Kenya’s extraordinary efforts in
safeguarding the wellbeing of the victims of droughts and conflicts fleeing
from Somalia has initiated several development projects targeting both the host
and the refugee communities in Northeastern region.
“My government appreciates the
crucial role played by the Kenya government in taking care of those families running
from their home countries seeking for refuge. Following 2011 following the deadliest
drought that hit parts of Southern Somalia and Northeastern region, we have
embarked on numerous development projects to alleviate the water needs of
drought stricken families and their livestock”, He said.
Pitteloud said his government spent
more than 2.4 million dollars in the construction of water projects mainly in the
drought prone Kenya’s Northeastern region noting that about 17 such projects
has been undertaken since 2011 in the region.
While taking over the projects
handed over to the county government from the Swiss government, the Garissa
County deputy governor Abdullahi Hussein thanked the Switzerland government for
their support adding that they need more assistance from development partners.
“As County administration we
appreciate the efforts by the Swiss government for support us in alleviating
the water needs of our people and we plead other donor partners to borrow leave
and chip in” he said.
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