Maltese bishop calls for help to famine-stricken Kenyans

The Bishop of Garissa, Mgr Paul Darmanin yesterday launched a heartfelt appeal to the Maltese and Gozitans to assist his people and hundreds of thousands of others around the Garissa diocese who have been facing famine for weeks.

Mgr Darmanin, who hails from Zabbar, has been a missionary in Kenya since 1981 and heads the largest diocese in the country, covering the whole north-eastern province and part of the coastal province of the country which is mostly all desert and for the past two years has not seen a drop of rain.

The Catholic Church in Kenya has appealed to the government to do all it can to help the people. The Archbishop of Nairobi, as head of the Catholic Church in the capital, has also joined in the appeal for assistance. The first convoy of Kenyan army trucks were already carrying relief aid and food supplies to the people in Garissa. Another convoy, carrying over 1,000 bags of maize and cooking oil, left Nairobi for Wajir and Mandera, which are more than 1,000 kilometres away.

In a moving appeal, Mgr Darmanin said more urgent help is needed. He called on all the people in Malta and Gozo to continue to show their generosity with the mission in Garissa.

The Capuchin Mission Secretariat has already sent Lm5,000 as first and immediate help. But much more is needed.

Donations can be sent directly to Fr Crispin Tabone, Missions Secretariat, Capuchin Friary, Floriana VLT 14.