Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called on Britain to consider increasing assistance to Kenya, particularly for the school feeding programme and targeted food subsidy to deal with the effects of the drought and looming food crisis.
The PM also called on the international community to work more closely with Kenya to find a more permanent and sustainable solution to the problem of refugees flocking into camps in the country.
The PM called for programmes that will help local Kenyan communities while also taking care of refugees and addressing the problems in the countries of origin at the same time.
The PM made the appeal at discussions with UK Minister for Africa Mr 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, emphasizing that food insecurity in Kenya undermined the country’s capacity to shoulder the refugee burden for the region.
The two UK ministers expressed appreciation for Kenya’s willingness to host refugees despite growing odds and promised to look into modalities for offering more support for the country.
The UK officials lauded progress in the country with regard to reform, saying recent developments pointed to a hopeful future for Kenya and promised UK support.
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 Puntaland which could translate into increased stability in Somalia.
Mr Odinga is in London particularly for a meeting with Prince Charles later today to discuss the restoration of Lake Naivasha.
Mr Odinga will also be seeking to have the Prince of Wales extend his restoration activities to the Lake Victoria Gulf where the water hyacinth has crippled fishing and other economic activities.
The two leaders will meet at dinner at Clarence House this evening. The PM will later travel to Nairobi on Friday.
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