Kilifi asks for more funds to shield locals from starving

Cord leader Raila Odinga (centre) and Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi (right) donate food to locals at Mutsengo Primary School in Kaloleni, Kilifi, on November 23, 2016. The county needs more money to fight off hunger. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Governor Amason Kingi said the county’s disaster kitty has been weighed down, forcing the executive to ask for more money.
  • The governor said the county had set aside Sh16 million towards the establishment of irrigation schemes to spur food production.

Kilifi County Government has requested for an additional Sh60 million to mitigate the drought effects which have exposed more than 100,000 people to starvation.

Governor Amason Kingi, who spoke when distributing food to residents of Sokoke ward at Matano Manne trading centre Sunday, said the county’s disaster kitty has been weighed down, forcing the executive to ask for more money.

"When the hunger alert was first raised last year, as the county government we started to address the situation by allocating funds through our disaster kitty.

"We have almost used Sh80 million in mitigation. We have distributed relief food to almost every corner of the county," Governor Kingi said.

Finance Budget and Appropriations Committee chairman Daniel Mangi has confirmed that the supplementary budget is currently being scrutinized by members.

"We have the document but it is with the technical team which is currently working out on the figures proposed.

"Once they are through, we shall table it in the assembly. For now I can confirm that the proposed funds for the disaster kitty is Sh60 million," Mr Mangi said.

Seven hundred bags of maize and 21 bags of beans were shared among the locals.

The county boss said he is optimistic that the members of the county assembly will approve it.

"We are now pinning our hopes on the assembly...if it passes the supplementary budget we shall have funds till April when we expect to get rains," he said.

The governor further criticised the government, arguing it is casual in tackling the problem in Kilifi.

"Unfortunately in Kilifi, it [State] has been slow in its response. We want to tell the national government that even as we strive to address the situation, they should also do the same...," he said.

The governor said the county had set aside Sh16 million towards the establishment of irrigation schemes to spur food production.

Mr Kingi said the international community has empathised with their situation by mustering Sh10 million to ameliorate the circumstance.

EU’s first counsellor and Head of Agriculture and Rural Development Klaus-Dieter Gautsch said member states have created a fund to address the problem.

"EU has been supporting the county in building drought resilience and we have a contingency fund that has been set aside to help the county through this crisis," he said.