By MN Reporter
Migori county commissioner Meru Mwangi has promised relief food to parts of Nyatike that have been hit by famine and drought caused by rainfall failure for the past six months.
Mwangi said already they have written to the national government in early September asking for relief food.
“We are anticipating that maybe in the course of this month we receive some relief food. The area is very dry” Mwangi said.
According to the county commissioner, the major areas which were affected include Nyakweri, Kaler and Macalder.
According to the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) monthly report on drought released on September 2022, the drought continued to worsen in twenty of the 23 ASAL counties with three more counties sliding into the alarm phase of drought.
The counties which include Laikipia, Tana River, and Tharaka Nithi are said to have slid into alarm, thus joining Isiolo, Mandera, Garissa, Turkana, Wajir, Samburu, and Marsabit that have equally been hard hit in the past months.
Another ten counties which include Embu, Garissa, Kitui, Makueni, Meru, Narok, Nyeri, Taita Taveta, Kwale, and Kilifi were listed to be in the alert drought phase.
Three counties which include Baringo, West Pokot, and Lamu have been said to be in the Normal drought phase.
Migori was not listed among those heavily affected by famine.
“We saw relief food being flagged off by President William Ruto in State House, we are also Kenyans and are wondering when we will be considered,” Jennifer Adhiambo, a resident from Kaler said.
drought situations.
“We are in dire need of food aid and the cost of living has also shot to the roof making them unable to even have a decent meal in a day,” he said.
Kaler ward MCA Thomas Akungo asked the national government to offer support to the drought striken areas in the county.
The residents are at the verge of facing severe hunger if the drought continues, as a result of a long dry spell.
“Nyatike is a semi-arid area and crop production has declined. It is our appeal to the national government to also remember our people here as it distributes relief food to other parts of the country,” Akungo said.
