GARISSA, Kenya, Nov, 12 – At least 2.5 million Kenyans are said to be affected by the ongoing drought nationwide, with fears the numbers might increase as the situation worsens.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on September 8 declared drought a national disaster.
In a bid to combat the effects of the drought, the Northern Water Works Development Agency (NWWDA) has kicked off the distribution of fuel subsidies to all water boreholes in Garissa county.
The move is aimed at ensuring that affected communities now have a steady supply of water for their families and livestock.
The exercise which will cost the national government at least Sh100 million will seek to see fuel being distributed to Wajir, Mandera, Samburu, Marsabit, and Isiolo.
NWWDA Board Chairperson Shaban Ali Isaack, who was speaking during a flagging off ceremony in Garissa, said that 26,800 liters will be distributed to the six counties.
“Considering the boreholes we have in these counties, this money is not enough and so we are asking county governments and National Drought Management Authority to increase their efforts and make sure that our people get sufficient water supply,” Ali said
Local administrators are now expected to work closely with affected residents and the borehole management committees to ensure everyone benefits from the programme.
Garissa County Commissioner Boaz Cherutich said that government will provide security to trucks ferrying fuel in the affected areas.
“We expect that once this fuel reaches the boreholes, the committees in charge will provide water for free until it is fully utilized,” said Cherutich.
During a meeting with the government’s strategic partners earlier this week, Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Gender, Senior Citizens Affairs, and Special Programmes Professor Margaret Kobia revealed that the government has so far provided Sh1.2 Billion for purchase and distribution of food to at least 23 Arid and Semi-arid Lands (ASAL) counties where 2.5 million people are said to be affected.
The Ministry of Water and Sanitation has received Sh350 million to facilitate water tracking efforts this as the Kenya Defence Forces received Sh450 million for livestock uptake, purchase, and distribution of livestock feed.
The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) also received Sh 500 million through the European Union for drought emergency response in non-food interventions.
“The National Government is in the process of providing a second round of resources for interventions between November and December 2021. Our meeting this morning has underscored the need for urgent measures to address the needs of 2.5 million people in 23 ASAL counties that require relief assistance as of November 2021,” said Kobia.
Eight counties have been designated to be in the ‘alarm’ drought phase.
These include Garissa, Isiolo, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Tana River, Turkana, and Wajir, where the outlook for the 2021 short rains is worrying.
A further 12 counties are on the brink of sliding from the alert to alarm phase.
Forecasts show that there will generally be depressed rainfall across all the ASAL counties and a highly depressed rainfall in the North-East of Kenya between October and December 2021.
As a result, 2.5 million people in 23 counties will remain food insecure between November and December 2021 calling for urgent preemptive measures.
“To adequately address the impending crisis, the Government has identified priority needs in key sectors amounting to Sh7.3 billion. These will cover the costs of delivering food and safety needs, livestock, health and nutrition, agriculture, education, and water for the period ending December 2021,” she said.
Development Partners are now expected to support government efforts to mobilise resources to address the gaps in drought response and resilience building in the ASAL counties.
Kobia also revealed that the government will shift its policy from distribution of physical food to cash transfer strategies in a bid to increase efficiency and accountability.
“I also wish to assure the country that the Government will continue streamlining its disbursements under the social protection interventions through regular cash transfers every two months. These cash transfers target 369,000 vulnerable households and 734,119 vulnerable individuals,” she said.
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