Prime Minister urges Britain to increase aid

By PMPS

 Prime Minister Raila Odinga has told Britain to consider increasing assistance to Kenya, particularly for the school feeding programme and targeted food subsidy to deal with the effects of drought.

The PM also called on the international community to work more closely with Kenya to find a sustainable solution to the problem of refugees fleeing to camps across the country.

The PM called for programmes that will help local Kenyan communities, while also taking care of refugees and addressing the problems in their countries of origin.

The PM made the appeal during discussions with UK Minister for Africa Henry Bellingham and International Development Minister Stephen O’Brien at Lancaster House in London.

The PM also briefed the UK Government on the drought in the Horn of Africa and the food situation in Kenya.  He said food insecurity undermines the country’s capacity to shoulder the refugee burden.

The two UK ministers expressed appreciation for Kenya’s willingness to host refugees.

The UK officials lauded progress in the country with regard to reform, saying recent developments pointed to a hopeful future.

On the refugee situation, the three leaders agreed that more needs to be done to address the situation in Somalia, pointing out that while there is progress towards stability in Mogadishu, more needed to be done in places like Kismayu, which remains a great source of instability in Somalia.

They also discussed the need to invest in creating the capacity of regions like Puntland, which could translate into increased stability in Somalia.

Raila is in London for a meeting with Prince Charles to discuss the restoration of Lake Naivasha.

The PM will also be asking the Prince of Wales to extend his restoration plan to Lake Victoria, once the second largest fresh water in the world, where the water hyacinth has crippled fishing.