Governor Bii launches relief food mobilisation drive for starving counties

Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii has launched an initiative to mobilise food aid for starving Kenyans.

The campaign comes amid the drought that has affected an estimated 4.35 million Kenyans.

Governor Bii said hunger has been aggravated by climate change and demanded urgent interventions, including providing food to the needy.

Under the drive, the governor hopes to mobilise food items from Uasin Gishu residents and friends to send to those who need it.

“It will be pleasing if we come together and contribute whatever we can so that we can rescue our brothers and sisters in need of food,” he said.

“I am calling upon each one of us in Uasin Gishu to help me in sending food aid to the distressed population. I will knock at your doors whether in the private or public sector, an individual or a corporate body for whatever donation.”

Country's granary

The governor said the North Rift is regarded as the country’s granary owing to its high production of maize, wheat and other agricultural produce. Given the current food crisis in parts of Kenya, the region should stand up to help the needy, he said.

“If you travel across Kajiado, Samburu, Turkana and other parts of Northern and Eastern [Kenya], people are in dire need of food,” he appealed in Soy constituency. 

“Hunger is a grave condition whose only remedy is food and I am appealing to all Uasin Gishu residents to come up and donate any kind of foodstuff to enable us to feed those starving.”

NDMA October report

In its October drought update, the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) noted that the drought will worsen in 20 of the 23 arid and semi-Arid lands (ASAL) counties. 

The NDMA noted that the region has endured three severe droughts in the last decade (2010-2011, 2016-2017 and 2020-2022) and the current one is the most severe and longest, with widespread livelihood losses and massive displacement of populations.

The agency attributed this to the four successive failed rain seasons, putting the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance at 4.35 million based on the 2022 long rains food and nutritional security assessment report.

The NDMA said 11 counties – Garissa, Isiolo, Kajiado, Kitui, Mandera, Marsabit, Laikipia, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana and Wajir – are in the alarm drought phase. 

Nine others – Embu, Kilifi, Kwale, Makueni, Meru, Narok, Nyeri, Tharaka Nithi and Taita Taveta – are in the alert drought phase. The remaining three, Baringo, West Pokot and Lamu, “are in [the normal] drought phase”.

The report cited acute malnutrition in the counties, with 942,000 cases of children aged 6-59 months highly malnourished and 134,000 pregnant and lactating women acutely emaciated and in need of treatment.

KVDA water pans

Meanwhile, the Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) has constructed two water pans and one borehole in Samburu West sub-county to cushion residents and their livestock from the ongoing drought.

KVDA Managing Director Sammy Naporos said the Sh60 million projects are long-term measures against ongoing water shortages in the area.

“Upon completion, the borehole and the two water pans will serve about 1,200 households and 100,000 livestock and wild animals, which have also been severely affected by drought,” Mr Naporos said on Monday.

The borehole, which will pump water using solar power, will provide immediate water to schools and residents, he said. The water pans, with a capacity of 40,000 cubic metres each, will harvest runoff water when it rains for domestic and livestock use.

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