Home | Submit News | Forum | Contact

Seven MPs from North Eastern Province have warned of a famine and called on the Government to declare the region a disaster zone.

In a statement read by Dujis MP Hussein Mohammed, the MPs said the Government should also start buying livestock to assist farmers as announced by President Kibaki during Jamhuri Day.


Mandera Central MP Billow Kerrow (left) addresses the press at Parliament Buildings on Wednesday. Looking on is North Horr MP Bonaya Godana. Pic by Jackson Ngugi

He said that for the last three seasons, there has been poor rainfall in most parts of North Eastern and parts of Eastern provinces.

"In certain areas such as Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Isiolo and Marsabit, thousands of livestock have already perished in the devastating drought," Mohammed said at Parliament Buildings.

Other MPs who signed the statement were Abdul Ali (Isiolo South), Adan Abdulla, an MP in the East African Legislative Assembly, Bonaya Godana (North Horr), Billow Kerrow (Mandera Central), Guracha Galgallo (Moyale) and Mohammed Abdi Haji (Mandera West).

They spoke as civic leaders from Mandera West and Central constituencies also appealed to the Government and international aid organisations to come to the rescue of over 150,000 starving locals.

The appeal comes amid reports of drought-related deaths of four people in Rhamu and Arabia divisions.

Led by Mr Aden Abdu Kuli of Takaba North and Mr Mohammud Ibraim Alio (nominated), the leaders said if the Government failed to intervene in the next two weeks, loss of human life was imminent as water sources in most parts of the district had dried up.

The councilors accused the provincial administration of hoarding relief food at the cereals board in Mandera.

He said the food, which included 70 bags of maize, 20 cartons of cooking oil and 10 cartons of powder milk meant for farmers in Ramu division was sold to traders.

Meanwhile, famine is ravaging many parts of Mwingi and Trans Mara districts.

At least five people have died from hunger-related cases in Mwingi in the past two weeks alone, reports said.

In Trans Mara, more than 1 million livestock are in danger due to famine.

The Mwingi deaths were reported barely two days after the District Commissioner, Aloise Lentoimanga, sounded a famine alarm.

Mwingi Town Council chairperson, Patricia Kimanzi, said the number of the dead could be higher.

She said emergency relief food was needed urgently.


Source: The Standard