Thousands face starvation as leaders call for assistance

An estimated 156,000 people in Kilifi County are on the verge of starvation following a prolonged drought and crop failure.

The worst affected is Ganze Sub-County whose population is just above 30,000. Many pupils have dropped out of school and some people were recently feeding on the seeds of a tree known as mworya.

The national and county governments have responded to calls for help after the Nation published a story detailing the food situation in parts of the county, especially in four wards of Ganze constituency.

At the weekend, both governments started distributing relief food to the most affected areas, giving a total of 50 tons.

Among the beneficiaries were 19 elders living in Kaya Godhoma, who were given four bags of maize, beans and cooking oil.

The elders have sought refuge from lynch mobs after being accused of witchcraft.

Ganze Deputy Commissioner Wilson Saaya at the weekend flagged off 10 tons of assorted food while Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi launched his government’s first phase of distribution of 800 bags of maize and beans.

The launch took place at Sokoke Primary School where the Governor described the situation in parts of the county as a disaster. He appealed to well-wishers and international donors for support.

“The situation in Ganze, Magarini and some parts of Kaloleni is disturbing as people have no food. We are calling on friends, well-wishers and donors to assist us because any delay will result in loss of lives,” said Governor Kingi.

The county, he said, needed at least 150 tons of food until the situation stabilised.

On Monday, Ganze MP Peter Shehe described the famine as critical and the food donated so far as a drop in the ocean.

“About 156,000 residents in my constituency are starving and need urgent food and water. It’s a crisis,” he said by telephone.

He spent the better part of the day mobilising resources after the food sent out at the weekend ran out.

“The county and national governments supplied some 70 and 10 tons of relief food in Tandia area, respectively, but the needy population is too big,” said the MP.

He said that all four wards in the constituency – Ganze, Sokoke, Jaribuni, Bamba – had been had been hit, with residents turning to wild fruits and roots for survival.

“Crops failed completely, including my 40 acres of maize which dried up before maturity. We need urgent assistance from well-wishers and both the county and national governments.”

Mr Shehe called on the county government to use its emergency fund to buy food and water for the affected areas and urged leaders to stop trivialising the situation.

“This is not the time to start blaming the national government for not initiating irrigation schemes to address food insecurity. The county government has funds for emergencies which it should utilise, now,” said the MP.

Governor Kingi said he had written to the World Food Programme asking it to intervene and save thousands of local residents.