SPEECH BY H.E.

MARGARET KENYATTA, THE FIRST

LADY OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA, DURING THE
FIRST LADYS HALF MARATHON STAKEHOLDERS
BREAKFAST AT STATE HOUSE GARDENS, NAIROBI ON
26TH JANUARY, 2016

Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning,

Today, it gives me great pleasure to celebrate with you the

achievements of the Beyond Zero Campaign launched in
January 2014.

I am grateful to the Kenyan spirit of collaboration and

giving, which has made the present milestones of the
Beyond Zero Campaign achievable.

However, Kenya continues to rank in the top-ten African

countries, where maternal health and child mortality lags.
Kenya, is perceived as one of the most dangerous
countries for a woman to be pregnant, and give birth
over 5,500 women die annually as a result of pregnancy
related complications.

Child mortality data, reported in the 2014 Kenya

Demographic Health Survey,indicates that Nairobi has the
2nd highest mortality for children under-five. That one,out
of twenty-six Kenyan children, die before reaching the

age
of
one
year.
And one,in
nineteen Kenyan
children, do not live to celebrate their fifth birthday.

This
is
unacceptable! The Campaign remains a
priority initiative today, as it was two years ago.

high

Together ladies and gentlemen, we have an

opportunity to leap-frog the efforts made over the past
years in improving healthcare delivery in Kenya.
Together, we can inspire the importance of collective
action and responsibility. Our focus, must be to pull
together innovative ideas and approaches; introduce
smarter, scalable and sustainable models, to address the
deplorable high numbers of maternal and child deaths in
this country.

Together, we must galvanise our efforts, and look forward

in order to address the issues that continue to challenge
us.
My
commitment
to
Campaign, and my resolve
to
faltered.

the Beyond
Zero
keep running has not

Neither has my pledge to help accelerate maternal and

child health service delivery and to create awareness on
the importance of healthy living.

Ladies and Gentlemen.

I run, because the funds raised through the First Ladys
Half Marathon, have made a difference to Monica Otieno in
Homa Bay. Today, she is assured of monthly visits by the
mobile clinic, and immunization for her new born child.

I run, because Mary Chepkirui in Narok, safely delivered

her baby in the Beyond Zero mobile clinic.

I
run, because Margaret Chizi from
Taita Taveta, can
access anti-natal services for her new born baby Eunice, at
the Beyond Zero mobile clinic.

I run, because it is my deepest desire to transform the life

of
Kenyan
communities by
ensuring that we
achieve Zero preventable
child
and
maternal
deaths. Zero new HIV cases, and 100% immunization of
babies against childhood diseases.

I run, because more needs to be done!!

Ladies and Gentlemen.

To date, the Campaign has raised more than 540
million Kenya Shillings, and received donations in kind of
medical equipment and kits. We have delivered 36 mobile
clinics across 36 out of 47 counties. The unique privatepublic sector partnership, individual philanthropists, the
media, the UN family, National and County governments
have all contributed to these milestones.
Today, we
present
to
you
the Beyond
Zero
Technical Report, which captures the Campaign story the
challenges, the accomplishments and the setbacks. I
welcome
you
to
read it and
identify
areas
of
collaboration and interest.

Finally, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, I
launch
the 3rd Edition
of
the
First
Ladys Half Marathon 2016. On March 6th I will run
to heighten
awareness,
widen
our
partnerships, resources and increase collective action to
accelerate the efforts towards the goal of Zero
preventable deaths by 2030.

I look forward to your support and participation.

God bless you, God bless Kenya!