State is undertaking drought mitigation measures, CS Miano

The government is tackling drought and on course to ensure that no Kenyan dies of hunger, Rebecca Miano the CS for East African Community, ASALs, and Regional Development has said.

Speaking in Wajir town on Monday when she led another phase of relief food distribution, Miano who was accompanied by the CS for Education Ezekiel Machogu and other senior government officials said that her ministry was working closely with the ministry of interior to make sure that relief assistance reaches the intended people.

She said that the government has procured enough food that will in the coming days be distributed countrywide in counties badly hit by drought.

She said Sh6.5 billion will be for food assistance, Sh2.3 billion for water intervention and Sh1.3 billion for livestock feeding offtakes and veterinary services.

“We know that following five seasons of failed rains our people are seriously suffering as a result of the ongoing drought, for that reason, as a responsive government, we are working day and night to make sure that we reach all corners of this republic to offer a helping hand to Kenyans who badly need it,” she said.

" I want to repeat. we don’t one to lose even a single life through starvation."

The CS also disclosed that the government has also bought diesel that will be used by water bowsers that will transport water to different centres in the vast county.

The CS commended counties' initiatives in addressing the drought situation saying that no single entity can manage the situation that has been described as the worst in a long period.

On his part, the education CS who was in the county to launch the school feeding programme lauded government officials and parents for ensuring that the county has achieved 100,00 transition.

He disclosed that his ministry had received Sh2.8 billion for the programme which he said will go a long way in not only ensuring that school retention is achieved but improving the performance of students in school.

Governor Ahmed Abdullahi while thanking the drought interventions from the government called for more saying that the number of those in need of food aid was growing by the day.

“I expressed our appreciation to all the stakeholders involved in the Emergency efforts for the initiatives undertaken till now. I want to reiterate my appeal to Fast-track humanitarian support because of the worsening drought situation especially as the holy month of Ramadhan approaches,” he said.

According to the national drought management Authority, 550,000 people in Wajir county are food insecure.

A recent report by the Ministry of  East African Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands [Asals], said an estimated six million people in 32 counties were facing acute food shortages.

The data includes 4.4 million people in the 23 Asal counties and 0.5 million in nine non-Asal counties.

The NDMA in its January 2023 bulletin paints a worrying picture in 23 counties that have been classified as either in the alarm or alert phase of the drought.

Counties on the alarm phase include Kilifi, Mandera, Marsabit,  Samburu, Turkana Wajir, Isiolo, Kitui, and Kajiado.

13 counties Garissa, Lamu, Narok, Tana River, Makueni, Tharaka Nithi, Baringo, Laikipia, Meru, Taita Taveta, West Pokot, Nyeri and Kwale are in the alert drought phase.