A project to improve the livelihoods of pastoralists is causing pain to a Garissa man who defaulted on a Sh150,000 loan.
Jamal Muhidin Abdi was among the beneficiaries of Care International in Kenya’s Livestock Marketing and Enterprise and Livestock Purchasing Fund.
The projects were aimed at linking the pastoralists from the drought-hit region with commercial value chains.
Abdi took a Sh150,000 loan from Equity Bank under the project that ran from 2004 to 2009. He defaulted after livestock he bought were wiped out by drought.
The loan was possible because of a Care’s partnership with Equity Bank.
After Abdi defaulted, the bank instituted court proceedings against him under civil case number 52 of 2009, according to his lawyer.
While he was being arrested, he was manhandled in public and his pregnant wife assaulted by police officers, he said.
Abdi remained for one month in remand where he became unwell, causing suffering to his family.
His lawyer claims his suffering was despite Care committing in a report that they had invested $450,000 as a deposit to cover the total lending under the programme. This was intended to cushion defaulters and assist the bank in collecting their debts.
The Garissa Care International in Kenya office closed in 2015.
Care International's communications department in Nairobi declined to comment and referred the Star to an email in Garissa for the programme manager, Sam Ombeki. There was no immediate response.
Lawyer Jennifer Shamalla in a letter received by the NGO on December 15 2015, says the project did not empower the beneficiary but caused distress and loss of livelihood, culminating in him being sent to jail.
“On July 8,2018, you masked yourself and hid behind Equity Bank who facilitated our client in obtaining from Equity Bank financing for a maximum of Sh150,000, which was approved on July 14 2018 [but]he defaulted in paying due to severe drought,” read the letter seen by the Star.
Abdi, through his lawyer, is demanding Sh10 million as immediate compensation and a detailed audited report on the $450,000 fund.
He claims Equity Bank’s actions violated his economic and social rights as well as his right to dignity
The pastoralist also wants the agreement signed between Care International and Equity Bank to administer the fund produced.
Abdi, who carried with him several files written by Garissa leaders, said he will pursue justice even if it takes him several decades.
