Govt distributes maize from Galana Kulalu project to famine hit areas in the Coast

The government has distributed 62,000 bags of maize from the Galana/Kulalu Irrigation Project to ease hunger in the coast region affecting where more than 200,000 people have been affected by severe famine.

Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said at the weekend that the fresh harvest from the 10,000 acres irrigation scheme in Kilifi and Tana River counties will directly benefit the six coastal counties affected by drought.

He spoke during the inspection of the mega irrigation project.

He was accompanied by Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri, Tana River Governor Hussein Dado, Water Principal Secretary Fred Sigor and Irrigation PS Patrick Mwangi.

Mr Wamalwa and Mr Kiunjuri later signed an agreement with Governor Hussein Dado for the distribution of the maize.

They said the move was part of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive to deal with the hunger situation in the country.

“The maize supply will begin from Tana River County since the government is keen to ensure people do not die of hunger,” said Mr Wamalwa.

“Then we will proceed to Ganze areas in Kilifi County for the food distribution programme,” he added.

Mr Kiunjuri said that the government has increased relief food supplies to cater for the rising demand from people suffering from hunger following complaints that what was previously being given was too little.

“By the year 2013, 2.5 million people in Kenya used to be fed with relief food every month but today we only have about 1.5 people facing hunger in our country,” he said.

Mr Kiunjuri urged counties to build stores for keeping the harvested maize.

He added that the government, through the Department of Special Programmes, will also distribute 90,000 bags of rice, 30,000 beans and 30,000 cartons of cooking oil.

“The relief food programme will run for the next three months,” he said.