Kalonzo tuors drought striken region

Written By:VPPS,    Posted: Tue, Aug 02, 2011

The VP made an appeal to well wishers to provide funds and materials to deliver water boosters, food aid and medicines to help stem the ravaging famine Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka Tuesday led a team of Government officers, leaders, and medical humanitarian officials from Germany to Wajir district to assess famine situation in the area. Mr. Musyoka made a passionate appeal to the international community, Non Governmental Organization (NGOs) among other well wishers to provide funds and materials to deliver water boosters, food aid and food supplement as well as medicines to help stem the ravaging famine that is affecting several parts of the country. He said the water boosters will help carry food and water to the affected people and animals in the areas being hard hit by famine in the country. Mr. Musyoka said the Government has set aside Ksh 300million for Habasueni irrigation scheme in the area to help the locals engage in farming and income generating activities saying it is the only way to contain food insecurity in the region. He said it is through initiation of irrigation schemes in arid and semi arid lands that the problem of food shortage in the country can be eradicated once and for all. He said residents in the area are in urgent need of water for domestic use, noting that thousands of livestock have succumbed to the drought due to lack of watering points and pasture. The Vice President assured the residents that the Government will carry out a restocking exercise during the rainy season to cushion those families who have lost their livestock during the drought. The Vice President urged Kenyans to stop the culture of blame game over the current famine situation in many parts of the country and instead explore ways of assisting the affected families. " Let's discourage the culture of blame game at this hour and instead look for ways of helping those being affected by famine,'' said Mr. Musyoka. " Blame game is not the lasting solution to the current famine facing many parts of this country. What we should do is to look for ways of helping those who have been affected,'' added Mr. Musyoka. Speaking at Kulaaley open grounds in Wajir South constituency, Mr. Musyoka warned that the Government will deal accordingly with any group of persons found diverting relief food meant for famine stricken families. "I want to assure residents in this region that anybody found diverting foodstuffs meant for starving families will be dealt with accordingly,'' he said. Mr. Musyoka was accompanied by Special Programmes Minister Ms Esther Mirugi, Eldoret North MP William Ruto, Wajir South MP Mohammed Sirat, his Wajir West counterpart Mohammed Gabo and nominated MP Mohammed Affey among others. He said the Government will use the military, National Youth Service (NYS) and Kenya prisons in distribution of relief food to famine stricken families in the country. He said the special equalization fund which is catered for in the new constitution will greatly help communities in arid areas saying it was one way of taking services closer to the people. Mr. Musyoka also distributed foodstuffs donated by Kalonzo Musyoka Foundation and the government to starving families in the area. Mr. Ruto on his part said there is need for the Government to come up with irrigation programmes to enable residents in the region engage in farming and other income generating activities. He said it shame for the country to witness the famine situation in the 21st century and yet the country has enough resources to feed its people. " We need to learn the past and look for ways of solving the problem of famine to avert this situations in future,'' he said. The suspended Higher Education minister said there is need to come up with a comprehensive well thought affirmative action for the people of North Eastern as the only way to solve the many challenges facing the region. Ms Mirugi said the Government has set aside 10.5 billion to mitigate the effects of drought in the country. She said the Government is doing everything possible to ensure the problem is solved to avert the situation from going out of control.