• They said on Wednesday that herders from neighbouring counties have been invading their farms and grazing on their crops.
• Kimwele said apart from residents lacking food, their animals have nothing to graze on.
Mwingi North residents have pleaded with the government and well-wishers to come to their rescue and give them food. https://bit.ly/2WxZzED
Mwingi North residents have pleaded with the government and well-wishers to come to their rescue and give them food.
They said the ongoing drought coupled with the problems they have been having with camel herders has contributed to the famine currently experienced in the area.
They said on Wednesday that herders from neighbouring counties have been invading their farms and grazing on their crops.
Joel Katui, the pastor in charge of AEPC Church in Mitamisyi, said they have been having conflicts with herders over grazing land and water for decades.
Many lives were lost following the deadly confrontations between residents and herders.
“Although the area did not experience as much rainfall as usual, we could have harvested our produce however little that could cushion us during this hard time,” he said.
The pastor, who is taking care of 23 children who were orphaned following the conflict, said times are hard for him and the church as they have to feed those children amid the drought.
Resident Charles Kimwele said they grow green grams and did not harvest anything after the camels destroyed their crops and lack of rain.
He said apart from residents lacking food, their animals have nothing to graze on.
“We plead with the government to intervene and end the banditry attacks as well as donate food to us,” Kimwele pleaded.
Residents spoke in Mitamisyi, Kyuso subcounty, after receiving food and goat donations from Vision Together Foundation.
The organisation operates in Kitui, Taita Taveta, Tharaka Nithi, Embu and Makueni counties.
The NGO helps orphans, and abandoned and abused children. It provides them with a home, education and basic needs.
CEO Patrick Mwendwa urged other well-wishers to step in and donate food to locals who are staring at starvation as drought continues to ravage most parts of the country.
The National Drought Early Warning Bulletin indicated last month that 12 counties – Marsabit, Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Samburu, Kitui, Lamu, Isiolo and Laikipia – were in the alert drought phase.
“The worsening trend across most ASAL counties is as a result of the poor rains received during the March-April-May 2021 long rains season,” the bulletin stated.
Edited by A.N