Hunger-stricken residents of Maikona receive relief food

The county government of Marsabit on Saturday rolled out relief food distribution in the Maikona ward to benefit residents acutely affected by the current drought.

Marsabit county government commenced the second phase of relief food distribution targeting 20,000 households on Tuesday to cushion locals facing starvation.

The number of people in need of humanitarian support across the county continues to rise owing to failed rain in five consecutive seasons that left thousands of families without a source of livelihood.

The distribution of relief food will be based on a need basis with families at the highest risk being considered as the priority.

Over 1,000 households in the Maikona ward received food aid with each beneficiary getting 25 kgs of rice and two litres of cooking oil.

While presiding over food distribution in Maikona, the CEC member Transport, Roads, Housing and Public works Guyo Guracha said many livestock have died and those still alive are weak making it difficult for the owners to get a market for sales.

He said the county government has done several interventions including water trucking but adverse effects of drought continue to affect people and their animals.

Though the situation is worsening day by day, he said Governor Mohamud is prepared and will ensure all those severely affected get food and water until the situation goes back to normal.

"The county government was responding to the severe drought to prevent deaths from starvation. We want to make sure the most vulnerable people get the critical service they needed to avoid death as a result of the drought," said the CEC member.

He acknowledged that more people need food assistance and other forms of livelihood support assuring the residents that the county will be able to cope with the growing number of hungry residents.

He cautioned residents against selling relief food and urged beneficiaries to share with their neighbours.

He appealed to well-wishers to donate food to supplement county government efforts in a bid to meet the needs of the people faced with starvation in the county.

Community elders thanked the governor for coming to the aid of hunger-stricken residents and appealed to the government to scale up the distribution of relief food to save residents who are languishing in hunger.

"Most families are hardly getting a meal in a day, especially the elderly people. We are pleading with the government to give us more food aid." said a community elder

Residents hailed the governor for the noble initiative saying that the food will last them for some days.

"Putting food on the table for our families has become a problem. We hope the government can extend this food programme for a few months until we get rain," said Lello Diida, a single mother.

Robe Halakhe Ali, a resident of Maikona and a beneficiary said the intervention is timely.

She said her family went hungry for many days due to a lack of food.

Issacko Boru, a beneficiary of county relief food urged the National government to compliments the county's efforts to provide food and water to the affected families as drought continues to ravage the region.

He called on humanitarian agencies to donate more relief food to save lives.

Gindole Katelo Boru lauded the county government for its relentless efforts to assist its citizens with relief food.

"We appeal for more support. Many families are sleeping hungry and we lost all of our livestock to drought," said Gindole

The Governor while launching relief food distribution on Tuesday directed that the food is distributed to deserving people, urging village elders to be keen on the exercise and report any kind of diversion.

He instructed administrators and all county officials involved in the exercise to ensure fair distribution of the relief food.