Nandi Bishop Urges Increased Hunger Relief Funding as Over 3 Million Kenyans Face Starvation,
“Many Kenyans are facing tough economic times, but we encourage those who are able to share what little they have to support the less fortunate, especially students in special needs schools,” Dr. David Serem.
AIC Nandi Bishop Moses Serem. Photo/Courtesy
The Bishop of the African Inland Church(AIC) in Nandi County, David Serem, has urged the government to increase budgetary allocations to support more than three million Kenyans facing hunger in 23 drought-stricken counties across northern Kenya.
Speaking at AIC Kaptich School in Mosop Constituency during a thanksgiving service attended by hundreds of Christians who donated food supplies to Kapsabet School for the Deaf last year, Bishop Serem said the food crisis remains dire and requires urgent and strategic government intervention.
“We call upon the government to further increase resources allocated to hunger victims. Many counties in the northern part of the country are still grappling with the effects of drought, and thousands of families continue to suffer,” said Bishop Serem.
According to government and humanitarian agency estimates in recent months, over three million Kenyans have been affected by prolonged drought and food insecurity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. The crisis has exerted additional pressure on vulnerable institutions, including schools for learners with special needs.
The bishop also appealed to Kenyans from all walks of life to step forward and support the less fortunate, particularly through food donations, noting that the prevailing economic hardship has worsened the situation for vulnerable communities.
“Many Kenyans are facing tough economic times, but we encourage those who are able to share what little they have to support the less fortunate, especially students in special needs schools,” he added.
On his part, Peter Sitienei, the National Chairperson of Special Needs Schools and Principal of Kapsabet School for the Deaf, called on the government, through the Ministry of Education, to immediately implement the recommendations of the July 2023 Presidential Working Party on Education Reform.
The taskforce, formed in July 2023, proposed sweeping reforms to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), including domiciling Junior School (Grades 7–9) within primary schools, reducing the number of learning areas, and restructuring teacher training to align with the new system.
Peter Sitienei ,Principal Kapsabet School for the Deaf.
“We urge the Ministry of Education to fast-track the implementation of the taskforce recommendations, as they will significantly benefit special needs schools, which cannot rely on the limited capitation currently provided by the government,” said Sitienei.
He emphasized that full implementation of the report would improve funding frameworks, infrastructure development, and curriculum delivery for learners with disabilities, who often require additional instructional and support resources.
For over eight years, Bishop Serem has mobilized AIC congregations to donate maize and other foodstuffs to support students in schools severely affected by malnutrition in Nandi County. Education stakeholders say inadequate nutrition has contributed to declining academic performance and attendance in some institutions.
The thanksgiving service recognized the contributions of congregants and partners who supported the Kapsabet School for the Deaf, with both religious and education leaders underscoring the need for coordinated efforts between government, faith-based organizations, and communities to address hunger and strengthen education outcomes.
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