State agency board forfeits allowances to boost coronavirus kitty

The board of Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) has forfeited its allowances during the period the country is fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is part of its contribution to supplement the government’s efforts to combat the disease.

The move is in line with the campaign initiated by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto, who announced they had voluntarily taken an 80 per cent pay cut.

All Cabinet secretaries and chief administrative secretaries took a 30 per cent pay cut while principal secretaries gave up 20 per cent.

Speakers of the two Houses of Parliament also announced they would take a 30 per cent pay cut for the next three months.

REREC chairman Simon Gicharu announced that the board had decided to make its contribution to the National Covid-19 emergency kitty by forfeiting their monthly honorarium in addition to their sitting allowances until the pandemic is controlled.

“We are aware that in the course of implementing our mandate in Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy our staff have been coming into contact with the needy. By contributing in a small way towards the kitty is to ensure that fellow Kenyans do not go hungry or lack basic necessities,” Mr Gicharu said in a statement.

REREC mainly works in rural areas. Three years ago, its staff stumbled upon a primary school in Kilifi County where pupils were sitting on stones. They had to postpone the commissioning of electricity at the school and started fundraising for desks.

“Oftentimes we come across hungry families who claim to have stayed for days without food. During this time of the coronavirus, they are even more hard-hit,” he said

The agency has already collected Sh110,000, the aggregate sum surrendered by the board members in sittings and the chairman’s monthly honorarium.

Mr Gicharu has also promised to top up the figure with an additional Sh100,000 from his personal account, taking the total contribution from the board to Sh210,000.

He said the daily dusk-to-dawn curfew and a strong emphasis on people staying at home, among other measures put in place by the government to control the spread of the virus, have resulted in businesses closing down and sending their workers home, leaving most people with no source of income, especially those who rely on daily wages to feed their families.

“I do appeal to members of REREC management and staff to join me and the board in supporting these initiatives in whatever way possible,” he said.