Mwingi Central MP Gideon Mulyungi has urged the national government to help starving residents, following inadequate rainfall experienced in the last three years.
Mulyungi said the ongoing drought has affected many families.
“Some learners have stopped going to school due to hunger,” he said.
“The prolonged drought has also made water accessibility a nightmare, forcing residents to trek kilometres to quench their thirst.”
He urged the government, NGOs and well-wishers to chip in because the drought has led to starvation and drying of water sources.
“People are starving and urgently need food, the drought is acute and starvation is real, the new government needs to speed up efforts to avert hunger-related deaths,” Mulyungi said.
His plea comes in the wake of an NDMA report last week, which indicated that Kitui and particularly parts of Mwingi North are in the alert stage due to failed rains in the last two seasons.
Last week during a tour to Mwingi North by National Drought Management Authority, the Kitui Authority chairman Raphael Nzomo said, the prolonged dry seasons are eroding efforts being made by the government to make water accessible in ASAL areas.
Nzomo said in the last two years, NDMA has used more than Sh30 million to improve water access in these areas.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
