Kenya allocates $18M to fight drought

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) – The treasury in Kenya has released 2 billion Kenyan shillings(around $18.1 million ) to cushion over 2 million people facing starvation in Kenya due to an ongoing drought.

The Kenyan government declared the drought a national disaster earlier this month saying that it has ravaged 10 of 47 counties that make up the East African nation.

Flagging-off consignments of food and animal feed procured through the financial aid to nomadic and pastoralist communities, Kenya’s Minister of Devolution and Arid and Semi-Arid Lands Eugene Wamalwa said that the aid is part of the government mitigation programs towards counties that are worst affected.

“The drought is worsening with time, one of the biggest challenges these counties are facing is lack of water because of the failure of the short rains in October and December [2020] and the long rains in March to May this year,” Wamalwa said.

“We have no water in these areas for the animals and the residents, the national treasury has disbursed 2 billion shillings and we are already moving food to the affected counties”.

The Minister noted that more relief food will start being distributed to affected communities beginning this weekend.

Earlier this month Kenyan leader Uhuru Kenyatta had instructed The National Treasury and the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government to spearhead Government efforts to assist affected households with water and relief food distribution as well as livestock uptake.