No Kenyan will die of hunger, says Kiunjuri

Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri has asked administrators in areas hit by drought to ensure no Kenyans die of hunger, saying the Government has enough food reserves.

He said there was enough food to last until the onset of the long rains in April but warned against the illegal sale or theft of the reserves.

“Last year, there are those who wanted to sabotage our work by selling relief food instead of distributing it to the starving Kenyans. We won’t allow this to happen again,” he said in Laikipia, adding that those who will be caught will be sacked and charged in court.

Mr Kiunjuri said the government will from Monday begin distributing food in the affected areas starting with schools.

“I don’t want to hear that any Kenyan has died of hunger or that students are staying away from school due to starvation. So I’m asking all the county commissioners and their juniors to ensure they distribute food to their people until the rains come,” he said.

He also asked police to drive away pastoralists from Samburu County who he said had invaded private farms in Laikipia and Nyeri, saying the government would provide them with clean water and hay for their animals.

“I have given police 12 hours to make sure no pastoralists and his animals are seen in private farms. We want a peaceful country and drought should not be a reason for Kenyans to fight,” he said.

AVERT WATER CONFLICT

In Trans Nzoia, security chiefs at Endebess sub-county are planning how to avert a water conflict arising from a decision by farmers to divert rivers in to their farms for irrigation.

 “We are going to stop all diversions in Sabwani, Mubere and Kaibei rivers. All farmers who are behind this must know that they will be subjected to punitive measures,” deputy county commissioner Peter Maina said.

The farmers re-erected barriers diverting the water to their coffee and vegetable farms even after they were knocked down by the Government late last year after an outcry from their neighbours.

 “We are no longer going to be lenient to any farmer who engages in these illegal activities since rivers are natural resources that are meant to benefit the public,” said Mr Maina.

In Turkana, herders have been hit by the biting drought that is now claiming their livestock in hundreds. Some especially those in Loima and Turkana West have crossed to neighbouring Uganda in search of pasture. Also hard hit are Kibish, Turkana North and Turkana West Sub Counties where hundreds of sheep, goats and donkeys have died.

“Currently due to lack of pasture and water the livestock are being sold cheaply since most of them are emaciated. Lodwar market where prices are slightly good is far away from the herders ,” said former Turkana Central MP Immanuel Imana.

In Kilifi, Governor Amason Kingi has proposed an additional Sh60 million to help 150,000 residents ravaged by famine. The proposed budget is with the assembly’s finance budget and appropriations committee.

“When the drought alert was issued last year, the county government allocated funds to the disaster kitty. We have used almost Sh80 million fighting hunger,” he said.

In Kisii, the dry spell has led to scarcity of farm produce with food reserves dwindling. Kisii County Executive Chair for Agriculture Mr Vincent Sagwe told farmers and residents to brace themselves for tough times.

“Climatic changes have affected the rainfall patterns creating a shortage of water which will adversely affect food production. We also expect food prices to rise,” said Mr Sagwe.

In Homa Bay, livestock farmers said they fear for the lives of their animals due to lack of rains. Deputy governor Hamilton Orata has told residents that the county government would ensure no lives were lost.

“We are on high alert following the drought. We have sunk 91 boreholes across the county but will drill more and move around with mobile water lorries to stem the drought,” he said.

—Reports by Bonface Mwangi, Philip Bwayo, Sammy Lutta, Kazungu Samuel, Elgar Machuka and Barack Oduor