Bartamaha (Nairobi):- Kenyans in drought-stricken areas were thrown a lifeline on Wednesday when the President directed immediate purchase of food for them.
Food will be bought from areas with surplus for distribution to those without and for building strategic food reserves.
This was one of the measures outlined by President Kibaki on Wednesday to bail out drought-hit citizens and their livestock. Farmers in the North-Rift have surplus maize.
The directive came as the Kenya Food Security Technical Working Group warned in a report of food shortage especially in pastoral areas.
An improvement will only occur in April at the onset of the long rains but can only last until June.
A statement from the Presidential Press Service said: “President Kibaki asked ministries to institute practical measures that will immediately alleviate the suffering of wananchi (citizens) in drought-stricken areas.”
Transport will be mobilised from the defence forces, Administration Police and the National Youth Service to deliver food. Water will also be delivered for livestock as well as feeds, the statement said.
The President also called on accounting officers to protect and prudently use money set aside to feed the hungry. He has also directed the Treasury to allocate funds to buy fertiliser to ensure a good harvest next season.
A government team that recently visited the drought-hit areas met and briefed the President. The team toured North Eastern Province and parts of Eastern and the North Rift, areas hardest hit by the drought.
In Parliament, Special Programmes minister Esther Murugi said the number of Kenyans requiring relief food would increase to five million in the next three months. (Kenyans needing relief food to reach 5 million)
About 1.6 million Kenyans are getting World Food Programme aid, she said.
Ms Murugi said the Water ministry should be made to account for some projects after it was found that only 13 of 28 dams and water pans in Turkana had water.
Bura MP Abdi Nuh said his constituents “will eat elephants if we have nothing to eat.”
Gichugu MP Martha Karua criticised the government’s reaction given that it had been given sufficient warning of the impending drought.
Five people have died of hunger since the beginning of the year.
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SOURCE:- Daily Nation
