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…Kimunya pledges further support.
The Minister for
Finance, Hon Amos Kimunya announced specific Treasury
support to Rhino Ark for fence materials to the
value of ksh 30 million in this budget year at
the Commissioning Ceremony for Phase Six in Njabini
on November 3, 2006.
The Minister then
pledged further funding for both fence building
and for maintenance. He called on corporate donors
to come forward and said that Government would
provide tax concessions for funds for charitable
ventures in society.
He declared the project "has been
widely accepted and is now owned by wananchi".
Michael Karanja,
Rhino Ark Chairman of Trustees pledged that Rhino
Ark would meet "shilling for shilling" the new
commitment by Government to help complete the
Aberdare Fence speedily and raise the money needed
for its Maintenance Endowment Fund.
Speaking before
an audience of several hundred fence line farmers,
Rhino Ark Trustees, Rose Kimotho and Mike Higgins,
representatives of the Rhino Charge Committee,
and various major donors to Rhino Ark including
Nation Media Group, Forest Department, The European
Union, Safaricom, Kengen, and Cooper Motor Corporation,
Minister Kimunya said:
"I wish to assure
you of the Government's commitment to this project.
Indeed in the current financial year, the Government
being a key stakeholder has contributed ksh 39.16
million through the Forest Department in the form
of ksh 9.16 million of wire materials and a grant
to Kenya Wildlife Service for ksh 30 million for
procurement of materials to build 30 kms."
"The fencing has
not only eased the pressure on the Exchequer to
provide for the welfare of the communities surrounding
the Aberdares but also has greatly boosted our
tourism promotion efforts through protecting our
wildlife".
The Minister highlighted
four innovative initiatives by Rhino Ark of "great
national importance":
"We are grateful
to the Rhino Ark team whose creative idea, the
Rhino Charge, brought forth the initial funding
of ksh 250,000 in 1989 and a staggering ksh 57
million in this year's Charge."
"The fencing project
has gone a long way in supporting our public/private
partnership and confirms our belief that a lot
can be achieved for this nation through our joint
efforts" concluded the Minister.
Minister Kimunya
presented the Kekika Community (Kiraita, Kieni,Kinari)
with the East African Wildlife Society's Michael
Werikhe Award for Services to conservation. The
winner is nominated by the Rhino Charge Committee.
Minister Kimunya
paid special tribute to the European Union for
its ksh 13.5 million donor support through its
Biodiversity Conservation Programme, the Kekika
Community who donated ksh 2.7 million in labour
at no cost, the Carbacid Company for participating
with ks 2.5 million and Safaricom Foundation for
ksh 2 million for Phase Six.
Rhino Ark provided the balance of
over ksh 50 million. .
For further information, please
contact Elizabeth / Valerie of Rhino Ark on
Tel: (020) 609866 / 604246 Fax:
604246
Mobile: 0724 604233 / 0733 632460
E-mail: rhinoark@wananchi.com
OR John Thuo of Church Orr Associates
on 0733320 517 (020) 891133
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