Only one person dead from drought, Eric Kiraithe says
Mzee Karisa Charo shows journalists one of his cows that succumbed to drought at the Giriama Ranch water pan in Goshi Village on October 11, 2016. PHOTO | SAMUEL KAZUNGU| NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Some unscrupulous individuals were taking advantage of the spell to enrich themselves at the expense of starving Kenyans.
- So far, 1.5 million people have been affected by the drought that the government said might persist until August 2017.
The government on Thursday said it has recorded only one death due to the drought despite reports of at least seven people dying from the prolonged dry spell.
“We have only one confirmed death in Kilifi, and it is unfortunate. The government is committed to making sure that no one (else) dies from this drought,” said government spokesman Eric Kiraithe during his weekly press briefing.
The government also warned chiefs and county officials that those found diverting the Sh5.4 billion the government is issuing in relief aid will be sacked and prosecuted.
Last week, Lagdera MP Mohamed Shidiye said at least seven people had died from the drought in Garissa.
On Monday, governors from the Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC) declared the drought a disaster requiring urgent intervention.
Mr Kiraithe said the government was on top of the matter, as it admitted that one person in Kilifi County had died.
The government also classified some parts of Kilifi County in an emergency state, saying 12 other counties were only in the “alarm and alert stages”.
Mr Kiraithe said areas that have been classified as in the alarm stages are Garissa, Kwale, Lamu and Marsabit, while areas with “alert” levels include Kajiado, Laikipia, West Pokot, Isiolo, Makueni, Mandera, Meru (North), Narok, Samburu, Taita-Taveta, Turkana and Wajir.
FOOD RESERVES
He said some unscrupulous individuals were taking advantage of the spell to enrich themselves at the expense of starving Kenyans.
“This relief is for families in need and any other person found benefitting [from it] will be prosecuted as a thief,” he said.
So far, 1.5 million people have been affected by the drought that the government said might persist until August 2017.
“The government has instituted these cross-sectorial, multi-faceted interventions to deal with the various phases and implications of this drought crisis.
"Moving forward, the government remains cognizant of the ever urgent need to meet short-term needs while maintaining a long-term strategy,” Mr Kiraithe said.
He said that though the food reserves in the country can last only six months, any imports will only be authorised when the situation has been reassessed.
He said the government will not stop private business people from continuing to import maize from neighbouring countries.
DIVVYING UP RELIEF AID
He also dismissed as unfair claims that the government was dragging its feet in the fight against the drought.
Mr Kiraithe said the creation of the National Drought Management Agency was one of the many steps the government had taken as a long-term strategy to tackle future drought cases.
“The key problem in drought management is addressing water problems. We need to implement it, but we know it will not happen in a day,” he said.
Of the Sh5.4 billion in relief aid, Sh1.65 billion will be allocated to food; Sh713 million for supplementary feeds for children under the age of five and water; and Sh244 million for the purchase of drought-tolerant seeds and the repositioning of strategic food reserve stocks.
Another Sh1.3 billion will be used to buy livestock; Sh1.24 billion for drilling wells and buying plastic storage equipment; Sh115 million for enhancing security; and Sh156 million for the feeding programme for day secondary schools.
