The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit has lauded President Donald Trump for his decision to shut down the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
The sentiments come as USAID on Tuesday, February 4, announced that it will place all its staff worldwide on administrative leave starting Friday
President Donald Trump’s overhaul of US foreign assistance has led to chaos in the aid and development field.
Kenya is expected to be one of the hardest-hit countries should Trump go ahead and dismantle USAID.
Ole Sapit said that the church supports Trump’s decision to cut funding.
Ole Sapit lauds Trump’s decision
The archbishop argued that it is a wake-up call to African nations to take charge of its health security.
“Partially thank Trump for the disruption. Let us be disrupted so that we think properly and manage our resources properly. Every other economy grew not in easy times but when you are faced by a crisis, they think deeper and I hope we can think deeper now,” he said.
Sapit’s sentiments came at a time when Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on his part has urged President Trump to reconsider the decision to shut down USAID.
Also Read: 15 Top Organizations That Benefit from USAID, Where the Money Goes
For decades, programs funded by the agency have played a crucial role in advancing health, education, agriculture, and economic stability in Kenya.
Mudavadi pleads with Trump
PCS Mudavadi who is also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, urged the US President to reconsider his decision.
“The USAID supports to the tune of about 60% and the Kenyan government to the tune of 40. One of the first things we want to do as Kenya is to appeal to the United States that do not. This is one of the areas where there should be waiver so that the humanitarian aspect of support to the needy is not curtailed,” he said.
Mudavadi however highlighted that the decision is a wakeup call that countries must actually have their own solutions for their citizens.
The loss of funding translates into immediate disruptions not only in patient care but also in the livelihoods of thousands of Kenyans who depend on the project for their employment.
USAID on Tuesday announced it will place all its staff worldwide on administrative leaves starting Friday.
In a statement, the agency clarified the leave will apply to all direct hired personnel except for designated staff responsible for mission critical functions call leadership and specifically designated programs.
This decision comes as the potential winding down of the agency threatens the jobs over 35,000 employees working on USAID funded programs in Kenya with thousands more affected globally.
Last week, dozens of senior USAID officials and employees were placed on leave while thousands of contractors were laid off.
Kenyan employees sent home
A memo by the agency sent to contractors and partners directed the immediate suspension of operations for several programs in Kenya, as part of a broader freeze on U.S. aid and funding.
Also Read: USAID Explains Employees Who Will Be Spared in Mass Firings Worldwide
The programs include USAID’s Tujenge Jamii (UTJ), Nuru Ya Mtoto and Fahari Ya Jamii (FYJ) projects, and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
In response to the directive halting ongoing work on various initiatives, many workers at county hospitals have been sent home.
These hospitals have sent work suspension memos to their employees, instructing them not to report to work until further notice.
In Baringo County, staff who are working at the Baringo County Referral Hospital under the payroll of USAID have been sent home on leave.
“51 of our staff were on the payroll of USAID to deal with people living with HIV/AIDS and other syndemic diseases. Now what are we going to do? They are giving us Ksh2.4 million every month Ksh50 million a year. Are we in control what are we going to do with those fellows?” posed Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi.
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