The state is buying emaciated livestock, slaughtering them and distributing meat in drought-hit Lungalunga and Kinango subcounties in Kwale county.
Farmers sell their cattle to the government before they starve to death.
On Wednesday, Special Programmes PS Josephta Mukobe supervised distribution of meat slaughtered from 60 cattle in Kinango.
Maize ( 1, 300 bags), beans ( 200 ), rice ( 300 ) and 100 cartons of cooking oil were distributed.
The government has so far distributed 3,000 bags of maize, 1,300 of rice, 300 bags of beans and 300 cartons of cooking oil.
About 200,000 people are hungry in Kwale. National Drought Management Authority branch coordinator Roma Sherah on Wednesday said, “Livestock are dying as the situation gets worse and we have heard from the weatherman the dry season is likely to continue until March next year.”
He said 350 head of cattle will be bought in the first phase of the programme in Lungalunga and Kinango. The state has set aside Sh3.5 million for that phase.
On Tuesday, Governor Salim Mvurya said the county has set aside Sh90 million for the programme, Sh50 million of which has been used to buy relief food including maize, beans and water.
