The National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has backed President of the United States (POTUS) Donald Trump's decision to freeze foreign aid, a move set to impact several spheres of the Kenyan health sector. In recent days, reports broke that USAID had begun sending termination letters to key implementing partners.
Speaking at the funeral service of Baringo Senator William Cheptumo on Saturday, Wetangula described Trump's decision as a wake-up call for African nations.
He further called for a renewed national focus on self-sufficiency to fill the gap left by the aid freeze, emphasising the need for Kenya to adopt homegrown solutions to its challenges.
"Have you seen what is happening in America? The leadership there is now focused on their own interests. Funding for AIDS, malaria, and other global programs has been cut," Wetangula stated.
"They want to make America great again. We, in Kenya, must make Kenya great forever by making sacrifices and working hard."
Echoing his remarks was Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi who revealed that the government was already looking into diplomatic avenues to mitigate the effects of the aid suspension.
Mudavadi also emphasised the urgency of building a resilient economy that does not hinge on the goodwill of foreign nations.
The aid cut by the US has raised alarm as already the country is bracing for a shortage of life-saving antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), condoms, and other essential medical supplies in Kenya.
Many Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) that depend on the US Agency for International Development (USAID) are also reeling from the implications of the funding freeze and having to consider job cuts.
All these repercussions have highlighted the vulnerability of donor-dependent programmes, and several other leaders have suggested that Kenya should become independent.
According to letters sent to several implementing partners, the US has already started terminating key assistance programme personnel.
One key implementing partner that benefited from USAID and received the confirmation cut letter is the USAID Tujenge Jamii initiative, a partnership between USAID, Deloitte, FHI 360, and Goldstar.
