Kiunjuri says govt has released Sh5bn to deal with drought
A herder watches as his cows drink water from one of the few remaining sources at Gedi Lun in Garissa. Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri has said that the national government has released Sh5 billion to fight drought. PHOTO | ABDIMALIK HAJIR | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Government statistics show that 10 per cent of the livestock in the country has been affected.
- Some of the money will also be used to repair 400 boreholes in all the affected areas in a month’s time, he said.
- Many of the boreholes were abandoned after they broke down while others were affected by siltation.
- Mr Kiunjuri warned that government officials caught selling relief food will be prosecuted and will also lose their jobs.
The government has released Sh5 billion to deal with the drought currently being experienced in various parts of the country, Cabinet Secretary for Devolution and Planning Mwangi Kiunjuri has said.
From the kitty, Sh1.2 billion will be used to buy livestock from the affected people, a process he said has already started.
Mr Kiunjuri spoke when he accompanied the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries on its first visit of Samburu County which is one of the counties affected by drought.
The committee was mandated to go round the country and assess the drought and hunger situation in the country before tabling its report to Parliament.
During its visit to Samburu County, the committee oversaw the distribution of relief food to the affected people.
Government statistics show that 10 per cent of the livestock in the country has been affected with a number also dying due to lack of water and pasture, said Mr Kiunjuri said.
ASSESS ANIMALS
He said after the government carries out its assessment based on the body condition of the animals in the affected areas, it is then that it will determine their prices.
“After we purchase the weak animals, we will slaughter some for the affected families in the same region. This is one way to make them also feel appreciated since they are the ones who reared them,” he noted.
Some of the money will also be used to repair 400 boreholes in all the affected areas in a month’s time, he said.
Many of the boreholes were abandoned after they broke down while others were affected by siltation, he said.
“Issues to do with water might be under the docket of the county governments but as a national government we have decided to intervene and see Kenyans are not dying of hunger or thirst,” said Mr Kiunjuri.
At the same time, the CS directed the local administration to double the ration that it has been giving to affected people to an amount that can sustain each household for a month.
At the same time, Mr Kiunjuri warned that government officials caught selling relief food will be prosecuted and will also lose their jobs.
