- County Commissioner Thomas Sankei said that the region received 2,000 bags of rice and 800 bags of beans, which were packaged in 50kg bags.
- The food will be distributed in all five subcounties, which include Tana Delta, Galledyetu, Bura, Bangale and Tana River.
Image: AURA RUTH
More than 100,000 families are in dire need of food in Tana River county due to the ongoing drought being experienced in some parts of the country.
Last week during the Mashujaa Day celebrations, President William Ruto said that the government is concerned about climate change and its impact on Kenya, especially in the arid and semi-arid areas.
On Friday the government embarked on a food distribution programme in the affected regions, including Tana River county.
County Commissioner Thomas Sankei said that the region received 2,000 bags of rice and 800 bags of beans, which were packaged in 50kg bags.
The food will be distributed in all five subcounties, which include Tana Delta, Galledyetu, Bura, Bangale and Tana River.
“We want to call upon officials from all subcounties to ensure that food is well distributed and all affected households benefit,” he said.
Sankei said that every subcounty will receive 400 bags of rice and 160 bags of beans.
“This is just the beginning, the government will ensure that the programme to support our people happens regularly. We also have the ongoing programme of water trucking as we continue to distribute livestock food in the required areas,” he said.
Sankei further said that, despite the fact that the situation is dire, there are other interventions, including cash transfer programmes which aim at helping the residents.
The cash transfer programme is administered by the Kenya Red Cross, World vision and Islamic Relief Kenya.
The county commissioner said that the government also has a similar programme of cash transfer which targets specific individuals.
Tana River Woman Representative Amina Dika who was present to witness the flagging off process said that, as a county, they are grateful to the state for the timely food relief to rescue lives of people.
“We want to call upon the government to continue supporting us and bring more food to our people because drought has been a big challenge to us. Our people do not have food, livestock do not have water to drink and our farms are dry, therefore, no harvests,” she said.
Dika said that now that distribution of food has started in the five subcounties, the county vehicles should be serviced well, ready to distribute water and food being received from Non-Governmental Organisations and the national government.
“I believe this is the beginning and all stakeholders will stand with us until that day the drought will end. Let them not assume we have water, we are really affected," she said.
Dika further said that she has approached NGOs to partner with them in finding long-term interventions for the drought crisis.
“As leaders, we need to look for long-term goals, especially on the side of water where we want to have enough boreholes and ensure they have good machines that will help people to pump water,” she said.
Agriculture executive Phares Buya said that the county is working with the National Drought Management Authority to supply water in the communities, schools and health facilities.
“Just the way we are supporting human beings, we are supporting the livestock which are getting water and food. I want to call upon our people to be patient because this is not a one-time programme, but a continuous one,” he said.
(edited by Amol Awuor)