2.6 Million Facing Starvation As 23 Counties In Dire Need for Relief Food

Kenya is faced by severe starvation that will affect almost have of its Counties risking especially the lives of pregnant and lactating women and children under the age of five years.

Already, 2.6 million people in arid and semi-arid areas are in dire need of food relief according to the government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna.

Those feared to feel the heat of the drought most include 69,000 pregnant and lactating women, 623,000 children under the age of five years.

Turkana County, known to occasionally experience drought that results in starvation and even deaths, is expected to be the most affected.

Turkana is estimated to experience starvation of over 250,000 children aged less than five years in Turkana North, South and Laisamis sub-counties who are already experiencing acute malnutrition according to Oguna.

“Eight out of the 23 counties are severely affected by drought and require urgent enhanced relief food assistance. They include Garissa, Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Tharaka-Nithi, Isiolo, Embu and Kitui,” Mr. Oguna said.

The government spokesperson revealed that 3.7 billion shillings had already been allocated to respond to the drought between the month of September and December.

According to Oguna, 2.9 out of the 3.7 billion shillings would be channeled for the relief of food, distribution of water and nutritional requirements to the affected people in the marginalized areas.

The repair of boreholes and procurement of spare parts to enable the pumping of water in the Counties has cost 650 million shillings.

Supplements, maize, beans and vegetable oil worth 1.7 million shillings has already been distributed by the government between the month of April and August.

Counties experiencing serious malnutrition include as listed below:

• Turkana
• Baringo
• Tana River
• Samburu
• Moyale
• Garissa
• Mandera
• Wajir
• Marsabit
• Tharaka-Nithi
• Isiolo
• Embu
• Kitui