The National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) has released a total of
Sh24, 568, 498 to the 47 counties to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.
NGAAF Fund Chief Executive Officer Titus Lotee announced that NGAAF Board has
also released Sh431, 814, 311 to 26 counties to support economic empowerment of the
affirmative action groups, majority of whom have been hard-hit by the closure of their income
generating activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a press statement sent to KNA, the CEO said some of the allocations would be used in
the purchase of water tanks while Sh43 million was for civic education on the pandemic and
prevention measures.
“In our efforts to promote hygiene as a measure of combating Covid-19, the emergency
funds will be used in the provision of water cans with taps in most of the counties upon
recognition that most of the marginalized groups do not have running water points,” he said.
He at the same time said that NGAAF has also invested in the physical provision of water
through water trucks and Water Users’ Associations, which would be implemented in the urban
slums and arid lands.
“We have also invested in the provision of soaps and sanitizers by putting them in
strategic places such as markets, town centers and at vantage points in villages in the counties,”
he added.
Lotee further stated that the Fund has targeted the most vulnerable population in most
arid counties where businesses have been grossly affected by the pandemic, saying that there
would be food distribution to the most affected.
Other areas of intervention in which the funds would be utilized as recommended by the
National Emergency Committee include purchase of personal protective materials such as
gloves, overalls, nose masks, overcoats, sanitizers, diapers, and first aid boxes.
He said other interventions were the adoption of hospitals earmarked to manage the
infected patients, by purchasing beds, bed sheets, blankets, utensils and supply of
food, purchase of power generators and fuel, and other sources of power needed for resuscitation
of patients.
“We have called upon County Committees and the County Women Representatives to
play an oversight role in the activation of the interventions,” said Lotee.
NGAAF’s critical role is to respond to emergencies that afflict the affirmative action
groups as enshrined in the Public Finance Management Act 2016, besides facilitating the
provision of social development services at the constituency and county levels.
The Fund was established to empower women, youth, persons living with disabilities,
vulnerable children and elderly persons.
By Bernadette Khaduli
