Food shortage ‘to get worse’

The food shortage will get worse in pastoral and marginal agricultural areas, a report says.

The Kenya food security technical working group projects that most parts of the country will have less food between January and March this year.

April will be better, the group says, but even then, the arid and semi-arid areas will face drought from June.

In the short term, relief food will be required for five million people.

According to the Kenya Food Security Outlook report, the worst-hit areas are Marsabit, Isiolo, Mandera, and Wajir districts.

The report shows that only Nyanza and Western provinces, parts of Rift Valley (Nakuru, Eldoret and Kericho), Nairobi, parts of Central Province and Embu will survive the drought.

The southeast and coastal marginal agricultural areas of Mwingi, Kitui, Tharaka, Mwea, Kwale, Kilifi and Malindi are likely to face crop losses due to poor rains.

Buy surplus food

President Kibaki last week directed that ministries buy food from areas with a surplus for distribution to those without as well as to build strategic food reserves.

The President met with Cabinet ministers and permanent secretaries and directed “the line ministries to take measures to alleviate the suffering of wananchi in drought-stricken areas”.

The armed forces, Administration Police and National Youth Service will provide vehicles to deliver the food.

Special Programmes minister Esther Murugi and her Agriculture counterpart, Dr Sally Kosgei, have said the government will not rush to seek foreign assistance.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Raila Odinga reassured Kenyans living in famine-stricken areas that the government will continue to supply them with food and water until the rains come.

Addressing wananchi at Korondille in Wajir North while distributing food, Mr Odinga said: “The government has put in place adequate measures to ensure that no one dies of hunger.”

Six million shillings have been set aside for transporting water to Korondille for people and their and livestock.

At the same time, the Prime Minister said the KKK political grouping would split Kenyans along tribal lines.

“All Kenyans are equal. We want the unity of all Kenyans and not just a few who think they can unite to rule over others,” he said.

Leadership should be based on wisdom, knowledge, ideology and good character, not just youth, he said.

“If a young person is a thief, should that person be put in a position of leadership just because of age or should he be taken to jail?” the PM asked.