WFP

A strategic pre-positioning of relief food supplies in areas likely to be cut off by the anticipated El-Nino rains by the World Food Programme could run into problems following heavy rains that pounded parts of North Eastern province paralyzing transportation.

The relief consignment that include maize, pulses (beans), vegetable oil and breaded food started arriving at the Garissa National Cereals and Produce Board depot from the port of Mombasa last week for the exercise.

The trailers hired by WFP are off-loading the consignment in Garissa for onward transportation to hot spot areas but the all exercise could be futile following the heavy down pour.

Buses plying Garissa-Wajir-Dadaab-Mandera and Masalani have already suspended their services.


According to WFP deputy head of field office, Simon Guama, Wajir district, with about 300,000 residents in need of relief supplies, will receive 720,000 metric tonnes of maize.

Other items include 1600 tonnes of pulses, 800 tonnes of vegetable oil and 2,000 tonnes of breaded food.

Garissa, with 150,000 residents under relief feeding programme, it will receive half of Wajir district's allocation while Mandera will get 5,000 tonnes of maize, 1,200 tonnes of pulses, 400 tonnes of vegetable oil and 1,000 tonnes of breaded food.

Guama said that WFP has enough food stocks for public institutions in the province under the school feeding programme to the last this term.

The field officer added that the UN body was also undertaking a supplementary feeding programme for mulnourished children in collaboration with the ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, area Provincial Commissioner, James Ole Seriani, has urged residents in flood prone areas to start moving to higher grounds as indications could mean the start of the El-Nino rains following a three consecutive days of heavy rains in the province.

Ole Seriani said that the District Disaster Committees had been heightened to deal with the effects of the El-Nino rains.

The PC was speaking after a tour of the Cereals Board depot in Garissa town to oversee the pre-positioning of the relief consignments by WFP.

He said that the government, through the Special Programme ministry, would oversee the relief distribution to cushion area residents against the effects of the El-Nino rains that wrecked havoc in the country in 1997.