Helping millions weather the drought
Distribution of relief food in various counties has intensified amid reports that 12 children had died at a nutrition centre run by a non-governmental organisation in North Horr, Marsabit county.
And yesterday, the government said over 2.5 million livestock had died due to the prolonged drought ravaging the country.
Speaking in Mombasa, Livestock Principal Secretary Harry Kimutai said they are exploring export markets to reduce livestock losses occasioned by famine, as well as launching an animal off-take programme in conjunction with the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC).
He spoke during the launch of a livestock and dairy farmers’ production catalogue.
Elsewhere, North Horr MP Wario Adhe claimed the children died a few months ago due to starvation. He did not, however, give further details, attributing the drought to failed rains over the past four years.
“People are facing food and water scarcity. Children are dying of malnutrition. The situation is dire. What we need urgently is support for school-going children. If this trend continues, students will not be able to sit national examinations,” Adhe said.
He urged the government and well-wishers to provide animal feed, cash transfers, food aid, and supplements for children and the elderly.
“The support we are receiving from the government currently is insignificant. In times of distress, the government should assist its people,” he said.
The legislator said he would introduce a motion in Parliament to declare the drought a national disaster.
Humanitarian crisis
Moyale MP Guyo Jaldesa termed the drought a “humanitarian crisis”. “If the rains do not come, we will have no livestock in the next few months. We are appealing to the national government and NGOs to assist us,” he said.
The MPs spoke during the unveiling of former presidential aspirant Reuben Kigame as an Ambassador of Hope in the fight against drought in northern Kenya.
The Jenga Kenya leader accepted the appointment at a meeting held early yesterday with leaders from the region to discuss possible interventions in the crisis.
Speaking at the event, Kigame urged President William Ruto to declare the drought a national disaster. “It does not matter which party you supported. Politics does not help in times of disaster. I am joining my colleagues from arid and semi-arid lands (Asal) in appealing,” Kigame said.
In the meantime, the government has rolled out programmes to mitigate the effects of prolonged drought affecting over 4.1 million Kenyans, up from 3.5 million in March 2022. Some 942,000 children are malnourished in arid regions, with over 2.5 million livestock lost.
On Tuesday, the government distributed relief food to 509,305 affected people in Machakos. The food comprised 200,000kg of rice and 80,000kg of beans. It will be distributed to 142, 630 households in the county’s nine sub-counties.
Speaking at the flagging-off exercise at the governor’s office, Machakos County Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha said the national government was working closely with the county government to reach out to starving residents.
“We have county steering groups in all the nine sub-counties, which extend to each of the 27 wards. Village committees will outline the people stricken the most so that they get priority in relief food distribution,” said Onyancha.
“We urge all officials involved, especially the deputy county commissioners, and their co-chairs and sub-county administrators, to ensure the food is released transparently. We encourage the committees to ensure the most affected people benefit first,” said Onyancha.
She added that the relief food is also set to benefit 875 public primary schools, noting that the county steering group is also dealing with water scarcity.
Commissioner Onyancha thanked World Vision Group for helping 22 schools overcome water scarcity in Yatta.
Vulnerable families
Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti said the donations will target vulnerable families and school-going children, besides addressing short-term hunger issues.
“The food will improve student performance and reduce the economic burden occasioned by the high cost of living. No child should skip school due to hunger. We will assist all vulnerable people, with children being the priority,” said Ndeti.
She thanked the national government for reinstating the county into the arid and semi-arid land (ASAL) bracket, adding that the county would build dams and weirs to curb the water shortage. She added that the drought situation in neighbouring Kajiado county has seen many livestock migrate to Machakos in search of pasture, a situation that is likely to trigger conflict.
Meanwhile, three sub-counties of Narok County have received relief food given by the Department of Social Protection and Special Programmes. The three — Trans Mara East, Trans Mara West and Trans Mara South — were each given 400 bags (50kg) of rice and 150 bags of beans.
Narok County Commissioner Isaac Masinde said about 115,000 families in the county and 130,000 school-going children were in dire need of food.
“We have identified areas that are mostly affected by drought. They include Narok South, Narok West and Narok East sub-counties. We are expecting food for these areas to arrive any time from now,” he said.
Not for resale
Masinde asked those beneficiaries of the food to use it wisely to feed their families, warning them against selling the food.
In West Pokot county, the government has distributed 1,200 bags of rice, 2,160 bags of beans and 600 cartons of canned meat to vulnerable households.
West Pokot sub-county assistant county commissioner (ACC) Ruth Wachera, while addressing the media on behalf of the county commissioner, Apollo Okello, said those affected most by erratic weather should benefit first from the relief food donated by the government.
Kenya requires Sh15 billion to deal with challenges caused by drought in arid regions. The money is to assist in food security, healthcare, nutrition, agriculture and in boosting education and livestock.
During a meeting with the national government, the United States Agency for International Development (USAid) envoy, Samantha Power, said Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia were acutely affected by drought.
She said USAid had already provided Sh7.7 billion which was disbursed to over one million people in arid lands. She pledged Sh30 billion in humanitarian and development assistance.
- Additional reporting by Harrison Kivisu and Reuben Mwambingu
The current drought is made worse by a series of socio-economic hardships occasioned by multiple lifestyle shocks.
