Says food situation is stable and the government is only strengthening distribution
865,000 people are affected in 13 counties
Image: DPPS
The government will this week release Sh 14.4 billion to mitigate the effects of drought in 13 counties, Deputy President William Ruto announced yesterday.
Ruto said Sh2 billion will be used to purchase relief food, truck water and rehabilitate boreholes. Ministries of Agriculture, Devolution and Water will be in charge.
“The Ministry of Devolution will coordinate all interventions to ensure concurrence in addressing the drought issue,” Ruto said. He was flanked by CSs Henry Rotich (Treasury), Simon Chelugui (Water and Sanitation), Mwangi Kiunjuri (Agriculture) and Eugene Wamalwa (Devolution).
He said Sh12.4 billion has been released to the elderly and vulnerable persons.
“Reorganization of cash transfers by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has been finalised as part of the intervention to avail resources to the vulnerable to buy food,” the DP said.
Ruto said 865,000 people are affected by drought in counties of Samburu, Baringo, Kilifi, Tana River, West Pokot, Makueni, Kajiado, Kwale, Marsabit, Garissa, Isiolo, Mandera and Wajir.
He said the food situation in the country is stable and the government is “only strengthening distribution.”
“The situation is caused by poor short rains and the assessment of the situation shows we are better off than we were the last two years in terms of vegetation cover, pasture, livestock condition and water availability,” the DP said.
Ruto asked each county government to set aside emergency funds as per the requirements of Public Finance Management Act for primary mitigation of the effects of drought.
He denied the government has slept on her job in responding to the situation. Jubilee in its manifesto promised that no Kenyan would die of hunger .
The DP said under the emergency fund, county governments are expected to provide the first line of intervention, which they have so far done.
“We are not behind schedule in intervening. There has been assessment and monitoring of the situation since January and the counties have done their best. Now the National government is stepping in to complement,” he said.
He added: “There should be no cause for alarm now .We will work with all our partners to ensure there are no casualties.”
He said the Jubilee administration is working on long-term solutions to address the perennial cycle of drought including the setting up of a special fund and construction of dams. The livestock insurance fund has paid Sh700 million to herders.
Kiunjuri said his Ministry will construct at least 10 water collectors ahead of the long rains.
National Disaster Management Authority CEO James Oduor dismissed reports that some people have already died as a result of drought.
He admitted that there were deaths in Turkana and Baringo but there was no direct link to ravaging drought in the Northern region.
“Yes, deaths were there but they cannot be linked directly to drought. This can be as a result of sickness and other issues,” he said.
Media reports say about 20 people have lost their lives.