The government is currently scaling up food distribution to 23 counties affected by famine.
This as government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna said approximately 2.7 million Kenyans are in need of humanitarian assistance due to food insecurity
He said the government will ensure no one dies of hunger as they will move to issue emergency relief food and cash transfer programs with an aim of improving livelihoods.
“No one will die of hunger due to the protracted drought since it’s the government’s resolve to ensure that drought victims, the poor, the destitute and the elderly get the benefits of the various social safety net schemes without any discrimination,” said oguna.
Early September last year President Uhuru Kenyatta declared the drought a national disaster after 23 counties were largely affected by feminewith food and water being a major concern.
Some of the affected counties include;Kwale, Lamu, Kilifi, Taita Taveta, Tana River, Turkana, Samburu, West Pokot, Baringo, Kajiado, Narok, Laikipia, Nyeri, Embu, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Makueni, Kitui, Marsabit, Isiolo, Wajir, Garissa and Madera.
Experts reveal that drought has been caused by change in weather patterns as both arid and semi -arid lands lack rain for three seasons in a row,a move that has seen agriculture and livestock depend on households.
“No one will die of hunger due to the protracted drought since it’s the government’s resolve to ensure that drought victims, the poor, the destitute and the elderly get the benefits of the various social safety net schemes without any discrimination,” said Oguna.
Oguna further revealed that scaling up would be done in months ahead as the government as now opted to coordinate national drought interventions such as livestock off-take programme, water trucking and construction of dams.
“The renewed effort to distribute food aid will not end the recent shift to the cash transfer program but the two programs aimed at boosting livelihoods of drought-stricken households would run concurrently,” said Oguna.
Currently 26,000 people in Kwale County bearing the brunt of the prolonged drought receive a monthly stipend of Ksh.3, 000 to cushion the victims.
