Sunday, April 01, 2007

Oxfam-UK pulls out of Wajir-Kenya

A British aid agency has suspended relief operations in Wajir District of kenya.

Oxfam-GB suspended its operations on Thursday after a group of leaders threatened to attack the staff and offices. The leaders claimed the agency was not fair in recruitment of local aid workers and claimed it was biased in distribution of relief supplies.

More than 10 civic leaders led by councillor Sheikh Noor stormed the international aid agency’s offices in Wajir town and accused the senior managers of lacking transparency during the recent recruitment of four aid workers.

A meeting between the leaders and Oxfam officials to end the stand-off at the DC’s boardroom ended in disarray after the agency insisted the recruitment would not be repeated.

During the meeting, Mr Sheikh Noor claimed some junior aid workers with the NGO were asking for favours from the relief beneficiaries to get rice.