Kenyans needing relief food to reach 5 million

The number of Kenyans requiring relief food will increase to five million in the next three months, Special Programmes minister Esther Murugi told Parliament on Wednesday.

There are currently 1.6 million Kenyans being assisted by the World Food Programme, said Ms Murugi, but she insisted it is not yet time to declare drought a national disaster.

She said the Disaster Sector of her Special Programmes ministry had warned of the imminent drought and had informed relevant ministries on what to do.

She however had to withdraw her statements when she said plans had been made to ensure “minimal loss of the lives of livestock or human beings.”

At least five people have died of hunger this year and the minister’s statement implied the government knew people would die and did little to prevent it.

She said there is a lack of water in most of the areas where the ministry is supplying food, making it hard for them to consume what has been provided.

Ms Murugi said the Ministry of Water and Irrigation should be made to account for some of its projects after it was discovered only 13 of 28 dams and water pans in Turkana had water.

Drought is a perpetual problem in Kenya, and MPs were furious that there is maize in stores in the Rift Valley while Kenyans in arid and semi-arid areas are suffering.

“When we have food in our stores and our people are dying, we’ll only have weevils enjoying our food,” lamented Prof Margaret Kamar (Eldoret East, ODM).

Bura MP Dr Abdi Nuh said his constituents would easily resort to eating wild animals if the drought persists and food and water become scarce.

“We’ll go for elephants if we have nothing to eat,” said Dr Nuh.

Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim warned the government against allowing business cartels to exploit the current situation to make huge profits at the expense of lives.

His call for the government to declare the drought a national disaster was supported by Abdul Bahari (Isiolo South, Kanu), Mohamud Maalim, Adan Keynan (Wajir West, Kanu) and Sophia Abdi (Nominated, ODM).

But Eugene Wamalwa (Saboti, PNU) said declaring the drought a national disaster would allow business cartels to start importing maize and exploit the poor.

Mr Keynan said Kenya is suffering because of its failure to implement the Maputo Declaration, an international agreement by governments to increase the allocation to agriculture to 10 per cent of the national budget.

Gichugu MP Martha Karua criticised the government’s reaction given that it had been given sufficient warning of the impending situation via the early warning system.

“We should not have to stand here when people have been starving and there is a lot of stress due to scarcity of water and food,” said the Narc-Kenya legislator.

Northern Kenya Development minister Mohamed Elmi said a better early warning system would be developed and a National Drought Management Authority set up.

He said the Education, Water, Office of the President and Special Programmes ministries would be involved in alleviating the food shortage.