The plan was to set up projects, some running into billions of shillings, that would make the country food secure, saving millions of Kenyans from the devastating effects of drought and famine.
But almost nine years since President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration promised the construction of dams, irrigation of millions of acres of land for farming as well as subsidies for farmers, droughts, famine and hunger are still a problem to many across the country.
On Wednesday, the Head of State declared the drought that has hit parts of North Eastern Kenya and other parts of the country a national disaster, setting in motion the mobilisation of resources to help those affected.
President Kenyatta also instructed the National Treasury and the Ministry of Interior to spearhead government efforts to assist the affected households, just months after the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) said an estimated 2.1 million Kenyans faced acute food shortage and would be in urgent need of assistance in the coming six months.
But some critics and commentators now argue that the Wednesday declaration by the President, coupled with past problems that have faced the country, are a result of the poor choices made in efforts to make Kenya more food secure.
The result has been a recurring crisis of drought and famine affecting and displacing thousands of people and their livestock.
“I tend to think that some of these problems are to some extent deliberate. Because how do you explain, with all the promises that were made in the past, our lack of preparedness for such a thing as hunger,” said Mr Adrian Kimotho, a commentator on governance.
“Sometimes I am also made to believe that some of these disasters have, over time, become an avenue for some in the government to eat,” he added.
Prof Winnie Mitulah of the University of Nairobi said the government, either by choice or out of circumstances, has failed to follow through with some of its promises, leading to the disasters currently being witnessed.
“I want to imagine that the ongoing climate change has had quite a devastating effect on the country’s food production, just as with the rest of the world. But I would also want to imagine and ask hard questions on why we seem to experience the same challenges over and over,” said Prof Mitullah.
While campaigning for the presidency in 2013 and 2017, President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto promised the construction of at least 57 dams, to ensure at least half of Kenya’s food requirements are met by small scale farmers and improve forest cover from seven to 10 per cent.
A combine harvester loads maize onto a truck at the Galana-Kulalu Food Security Project.
Photo credit: PSCU
The Jubilee team also promised to put under irrigation at least one million acres and partner with county governments to establish at least one agricultural produce market to provide a central outlet for farmers.
“We will complete the 57-large-scale dam construction programme, support small-holder agricultural drip irrigation and work with the private sector to enhance commercial agricultural production on at least 1.2 million acres,” the party promised in its manifesto.
However, with less than a year to the end of his term, Mr Kenyatta is yet to see the full implementation of most of the said projects in the country, exposing thousands to the ravaging effects of disasters like famine.
The Jubilee Party had also promised to create a Food Acquisition Programme, which it said will mandate the government to buy 50 per cent of its food requirements from smallholder farmers.
Projects such as the multi-billion shilling Galana Kulalu project, that was set to revolutionise the country’s food basket, have faced production challenges and graft, soiling the legacy of what was to be Kenya’s biggest food project yet.
A report by NDMA released this year said an estimated 2.1 million Kenyans face acute food shortage, with the number expected to rise to 2.4 million during the October-December short rains that the Meteorological Department has forecast to be below normal.
Counties facing the risk of severe drought are Baringo, Kajiado, Kwale, Laikipia, Lamu, Makueni, Meru, Taita Taveta, Tharaka Nithi and West Pokot while Embu, Narok and Nyeri are at low risk.
Others on the drought alert are Garissa, Isiolo, Kitui, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Turkana, Tana River and Wajir.
