Garissa officials warned over theft of relief food

Chiefs and other government officials handling relief food supplies meant for drought victims in the North Eastern region will be held accountable for any food losses, a senior official has warned.

Regional Coordinator Mohamud Saleh said Thursday the government has mobilised enough resources, rallied the Kenya Red Cross and aid agencies to ensure that all victims of the current drought receive the necessary assistance.

Several senior government officials in Bura, Ijara and other parts of the county are under probe by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over misappropriation of relief food in their respective areas.

WARNING

Mr Saleh gave a stern warning to local administrators in remote areas saying they will have to account what they have received adding that anyone caught diverting the relief food will be dealt with.

"I would like to warn all officials handling relief food that stern action will be taken against them if the food will not be accountable, we have put in place stringent measures to ensure food reaches the vulnerable on the ground," he said.

The regional coordinator said the government has done all within its powers to ensure that no Kenyan dies of hunger and will not allow a 'few greedy government officials' to take advantage of the exercise to enrich themselves.

He said the military and the National Youth Service alongside private contractors are working round the clock to ensure that food assistance and water reaches the remotest parts of the region.

WATER SHORTAGE

Mr Saleh said more people now need water supplies urgently and the government is scaling up water trucking efforts in the coming days.

This comes just a day after the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) latest assessment indicate that over 60 per cent of Garissa County residents are in need of relief food supplies.

The NDMA County Coordinator Abdinoor Dubow said that the government is currently catering for only 40 per cent of the drought victims.

He said that his office is working with the office of devolution and planning to ensure that the growing list of the vulnerable households receive food items in good time as the drought situation in the area worsen by the day.

The worst hit areas are Balambala, Ijara, Hulugho, Lagdera, Dadaab, Fafi and Garissa township sub-counties.

The problem has been aggravated by the failure by successive long rains.