Relief for stricken Samburu residents as county releases aid food

Bags of maize being loaded on lorries on November 23, 2016 at the Samburu NCPB depot to be distributed to stricken residents. PHOTO | GODFREY OUNDOH | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The maize is part of a new stock ordered by the county government after the governor rejected 8,000 bags of maize that were earlier supplied by NCPB, based on a safety report. He said the maize did not meet the required food safety consumption standards.

The county government of Samburu has finally released the first batch of relief food to be distributed to families affected by famine.

Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal, accompanied by his county administration team, World Food Programme officials and other stakeholders flagged off trucks carrying 1,113 bags of maize to be distributed to families in Samburu East for the next five days. The distribution will then move to Samburu North which will also take five days.

A total of 1,113 bags of maize each weighing 50 kilograms were flagged off at the Maralal National Cereals Board Depot grounds.

The maize is part of a new stock ordered by the county government after the governor rejected 8,000 bags of maize that were earlier supplied by NCPB, based on a safety report. He said the maize did not meet the required food safety consumption standards.

Deputy Head of Isiolo WFP office which also covers Samburu Ms Elizabeth Nabutola led the WFP team in the exercise.

According to WFP, a total of 47 villages in Samburu East are to benefit from the aid and 42 more in Samburu North.

Over 64,000 people are said to be affected by the famine in the county.

The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) released a report seven weeks ago where it sounded a famine alarm and indicated that more than 54,000 people in the county were in need of urgent relief intervention.