UPDATE ON GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS AGAINST DROUGHT IN THE COUNTRY BY GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON, COL. (RTD) CYRUS OGUNA, MBS, NDC (K) ON WEDNESDAY, 13TH OCTOBER 2021
The Government has continued to provide support to Kenyans who are faced with food distress that has been occasioned by the on-going drought in certain parts of the country. The drought, which is largely due to poor rainfall in the last two seasons, particularly in the ASAL regions, has affected both human and livestock.
As Government, we are committed to ensuring that the situation is effectively managed, and that assistance is promptly provided in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s earlier directive that no Kenyan will ever again die due to a lack of food.
Areas Affected
Monitoring activities indicated that 23 Counties were at risk of being food insecure. These Counties have been classified into three groups based on the level of risk of severe drought and the cost of drought response. The groups are:
Group 1: These are Counties with high risk of severe drought, hence requiring high cost of response mechanism. The Counties are Garissa, Isiolo, Kilifi, Kitui, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River and Wajir.
Group 2: Counties in which drought risk is moderate, and the cost of response is also moderate. These include Baringo, Turkana, Kajiado, Kwale, Laikipia, Lamu, Makueni, Meru, Taita Taveta, Tharaka Nithi and West Pokot.
Group 3: Counties that experience low risk of severe drought. These are Embu, Narok and Nyeri.
Interventions;
To mitigate the impact of drought in the affected Counties, the Government has up-scaled intervention efforts through the provision of assorted relief assistance to the affected families. The interventions are as follows:
Food Distribution
The distribution of physical food for the month of October 2021 to all the affected Counties is in progress, for which the Government has spent Ksh.1.2 billion to procure.
Another Ksh.1.2 billion has been mobilized for the month of November 2021. Food distribution by Counties is as indicated in the attached table.
With the deployment of this intervention, we want to assure Kenyans that the Government is fully in control of the situation.
Development Partner support
EU has availed Ksh.500 million to be used to aid in intervention. So far over Ksh.260 million has been spent in the following sectors: education, health and nutrition, livestock feeds, security and water trucking.
FAO has availed Ksh.380 million, and has also bought 32,000 bags of cattle feeds which have already been distributed to the affected areas.
WFP is to mobilize Ksh.500 million (USD 5 million) to aid in the provision of assorted relief.
The UN system in the country launched Flash Appeal for local and international help amounting to USD 13.9 million (Ksh.13.9 billion).
Water trucking: County Governments in collaboration with the National Government has continued to distribute water for domestic and livestock use to the affected regions.
Hunger Safety Net. The regular transfer of funds to support 100,000 households in which every household in Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit and Turkana Counties receives Ksh. 5,400 every two months has been up-scaled to cover many more households.
Inua Jamii. A social protection program in which over 1 million households countrywide have been receiving cash transfer of Ksh. 2,000 per month to protect the elderly, orphans and PWD. This has provided supplemental intervention in areas experiencing drought.
Outlook for intervention
The plan for intervention beyond December 2021 is ready as Government continues to mobilizes resources to mitigate the situation. However, the deployment of resources into the new year will depend on the performance of rain in the coming days.
Collaboration and Partnership
The National Government has worked in close partnership and collaboration with County Governments and various Development Partners such as European Union, World Food Program, Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Kenya Red Cross, among others.
Call-to-Action
We are calling on organizations, and individuals of goodwill to come forward and provide any form of support. Kenyans are also encouraged to be mindful of their neighbours, and those who are blessed with a little more, to come out and share with those that are less privileged. As a people, we are known for standing with one another during such times. This is the spirit that is called for during situations of this nature.
Conclusion
The Government wishes to assure Kenyans that measures have been taken to alleviate the impact of drought in the country, and will ensure that no Kenyan’s life is negatively impacted. Sufficient resources have been mobilized, and shall be up-scaled, should there be need to do so.
Water trucking: County Governments in collaboration with the National Government has continued to distribute water for domestic and livestock use to the affected regions.
Hunger Safety Net. The regular transfer of funds to support 100,000 households in which every household in Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit and Turkana Counties receives Ksh.5,400 every two months has been up-scaled to cover many more households.
Inua Jamii. A social protection program in which over 1 million households countrywide have been receiving cash transfer of Ksh.2,000 per month to protect the elderly, orphans and PWD. This has provided supplemental intervention in areas experiencing drought.
Outlook for intervention
The plan for intervention beyond December 2021 is ready as Government continues to mobilizes resources to mitigate the situation. However, the deployment of resources into the new year will depend on the performance of rain in the coming days.
Collaboration and Partnership
The National Government has worked in close partnership and collaboration with County Governments and various Development Partners such as European Union, World Food Program, Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Kenya Red Cross, among others.
Call-to-Action
We are calling on organizations, and individuals of goodwill to come forward and provide any form of support. Kenyans are also encouraged to be mindful of their neighbours, and those who are blessed with a little more, to come out and share with those that are less privileged. As a people, we are known for standing with one another during such times. This is the spirit that is called for during situations of this nature.
Conclusion
The Government wishes to assure Kenyans that measures have been taken to alleviate the impact of drought in the country, and will ensure that no Kenyan’s life is negatively impacted. Sufficient resources have been mobilized, and shall be up-scaled, should there be need to do so.
~ Government of Kenya Spokesperson – Col. (Rtd) Cyrus O. Oguna, MBS, ndc (K) ~
