The ‘half-baked’ explanation for the Sh7m Jadudi rip-off
The Africa Cancer Foundation (ACF) has come out in an effort to account for the millions of shillings raised by Kenyans to enable University of Nairobi student Emmanuel Otieno aka Jadudi undergo surgery for a brain tumor in India.
In a letter signed by the foundation’s Managing Director, Dorothy Nyong’o, distributed to media houses, the foundation owned up to the fact that indeed Jadudi’s medical expenses were covered by the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
The foundation further explained that it only paid for other expenses from the Jadudi Medical Fund, including travel insurance, living expenses and upkeep for the two months both stayed in India.
Whereas Ms Nyong’o cited contributions by other parties and corporate, she fell short of answering the burning question of how the bulk of the Sh 7 million raised by the Kenyan public through the #1MilliForJadudi campaign was or has been used.
“We are in the process of compiling a comprehensive financial report of the amounts expended from the fund. We will make public the financial report as and when it is ready, clearly detailing each and every shilling used and justification for use,” Ms Nyong’o said.
MEDICAL EXPENSES
The foundation’s effort to put the records straight came two days after it emerged that Jadudi’s medical expenses had been largely catered for by NHIF when he underwent the brain surgery in India.
Following the revelation, enraged Kenyans on Twitter (KOT) demanded answers from the foundation over how the funds were used.
But in her statement, Ms Nyongo, acknowledged that the foundation is the custodian of the said funds on behalf of Jadudi and his family while also seeking to absolve Zawadi Nyong’o and celebrated blogger Biko Zulu from blame over the use of the funds.
“Already, a full report (The Jadudi Report), analyzing the funds that were raised was made public on October 8, 2015, and is available online. We need to make it very clear that neither Zawadi (Nyong’o) nor Biko (Zulu) have any role in the management of the Jadudi Medical Fund,” Ms Zawadi Nyong’o said.
Biko first brought Jadudi’s plight to the attention of the Kenyan public in early August through an article titled That thing in Jadudi’s head.