NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 18 – Kenya appreciates the development support the United Kingdom through the Department for International Development (DFID) has continued to provide, particularly in the education sector, President Mwai Kibaki has said.
The President noted that the assistance extended to the country’s education sector by DFID has played a significant role in not only augmenting the Government’s efforts in implementing Kenya’s development blueprint, Vision 2030, but also in achieving the Millennium Development Goal on education.
“I am delighted to note that the British Government has been a reliable partner in supporting this worthy endeavour,” President Kibaki said.
The Head of State was speaking on Thursday at his Harambee House office during a meeting with DFID Director General Mark Lowcock who paid him a courtesy call.
President Kibaki assured the DFID Director General that the Government is committed to ensuring that all public funds are utilized for the intended purposes.
In this regard, the President pointed out that the Government has suspended and is prosecuting in courts Education officials suspected to have misappropriated education funds.
President Kibaki also briefed Mr Lowcock on the ongoing reforms in the country including the constitutional review process and reforms in the police force.
The Head of State, therefore, underscored the Kenya-UK partnership in development and expressed confidence that the ongoing collaboration especially in the education sector will continue.
On his part, the DFID Director General said he was pleased to acknowledge that the reform agenda in Kenya was on track, despite some challenges.
Mr Lowcock reassured President Kibaki that the Department for International Development of the UK and Commonwealth office will continue supporting development programmes in the country for the benefit of Kenyans.
He emphasised that his organisation and the Kenya Government haboured the same goal of strengthening the education system in the country.
“DFID and the Government of Kenya do not have contradictory goals on education. We all want to see that all Kenyan children receive quality education,” Mr Lowcock said.
The DFID Director General was accompanied by the East and Central Africa DFID Director Joy Hutcheon and DFID’s head for Kenya and Somalia, Alistair Fearnie.
Present at the meeting were Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula, the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Amb Francis Muthaura, Internal Security Permanent Secretary Francis Kimemia and his Foreign Affairs counterpart Thuita Mwangi among other senior Kenya Government officials.
