Political analyst Herman Manyora has said that holding prayers and building dams are not moves that will solve the hunger problem in the country.
Speaking at an interview on Friday, Manyora said the country does not need any single dam. Said more concrete solutions are needed to deal with the ongoing hunger issue.
"Prayers they can have, but not about hunger. On hunger, you come up with concrete measures with strategies such as those adopted in Tanzania and in the next one or two years, they will be an exporter of maize," he said.
He termed it a shame that backward countries like Malawi are importing their maize into Kenya.
"Kenya does not need even one dam. We don't need dams. Yet that is where we put billions," he said.
Manyora said instead of putting billion in the dams, the farmers in the North Rift should instead be supported.
He said farmers face a lot of losses post-harvest.
" When they have maize, there is no market for the maize, so they throw it away," he said.
He said farmers end up selling their harvest at a throwaway price as the government watches because there are no profitable markets for their maize.
According to Manyora, the problems behind the hunger issue in the country are minor and can easily be solved.
"The president comes from the North Rift, the farmers can sit with him and tell him their problem," Manyora said.
He explained that farmers can get water in many ways and even if dams must be built, they ought not to be worth billions.
"A dam is a natural basin, you just close one side water flows it fills, but now we are being told of billions."
Manyora said prayers are good but will not end the ongoing famine.
