Come see the drought yourself, Governor Jama tells Ruto

Garissa -just like the neighbouring counties in Northeastern - did not receive adequate rainfall during the last October-November short rain season.

The Kenya Red Cross says close to 400,000 people are in dire need of relief food.

The deteriorating drought situation has continued to severely impact the food security and livelihoods of vulnerable households.

The National Drought Management Authority 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, Kajiado, while 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.

Speaking at the Garissa Farmers Training Institute during the launch of several drought response initiatives, Jama, who also doubles up as the chairperson of ASAL counties in the Council of Governors, said time has come for the President to declare drought a national disaster.

The interventions which are being undertaken by the county government in partnership with the Kenya Red Cross, Save the Children, NDMA and other partners will benefit 150,000 households in various parts of the county.

He said even though several interventions were currently ongoing, both from the national and county governments as well as from NGOs, the situation on the ground calls for more action.

Jama, who said that his administration has suspended all development programmes to focus on addressing the drought issue, said the supplementary budget for emergency response purposes will in the assembly next week.

The governor further called on the President to instruct the military to come to the aid of the drought-stricken residents by supplying water using their trucks.

“Our biggest problem is water and we all know that our  KDF colleagues and the NYS have the capacity of supplying water. Instead of sitting with this vehicles in the camps, let them help us in tinkering water. I hope my humble request will be seriously considered and acted upon,” he said.

Jama further requested the national government to suspend any development plan or infrastructure that was meant for the county and, instead, focus on the emergency.

“The same way we have done, I also call on the national government to urgently re-allocate any development monies earmarked for the region to drought mitigation measures like water tracking and food distribution to our people and schools,” the county chief said. 

Jama said that the situation on the ground was so dire that human lives might be lost if urgent help and assistance fail to come their way.

Lagdera MP Abdikadir Hussein called on the security organs to remain alert and avert any inter-clan clashes that might be caused by scramble over resources, saying that such cases are common during this period.

“The situation is not tenable anymore, our county is today suffering big issues, not only the drought, but we also have drought IDPs and pastoral dropouts from the neighbouring counties  of Mandera, Wajir, Isiolo and even Marsabit. I appeal to humanitarian agencies and development partners to continue supporting us,” he said.