Over 500 families in Pangani and Olulunga slums have received relief food supplies from the government to mitigate effects of drought in the area.
Narok South Deputy County Commissioner Felix Kisalu, said the Nyumba Kumi representatives, elders and chiefs identified the neediest families who were more vulnerable to the ravages of severe drought in the area.
He said majority of those who benefited were Persons with Disability, households with orphans, children homes, widows and people living in extreme poverty.
“The food was distributed in a fair manner such that only those who truly deserved the food were given. Most of the beneficiaries live in slum areas of Ololulunga trading center,” he said.
Among the foods distributed were rice, beans and cartons of canned beef that was given by the government to curb the effects of drought experienced in the county following a long spell of dry season.
The beneficiaries lauded the government for the intervention, confessing that the cost of living had gone high, making most of them to sleep on an empty stomach.
Naserian Mintilla, one of the beneficiaries, confessed that many families were struggling to place a plate of food on the table owing to the hard economic times.
“These days, it is hard to get casual labour which we depend on, making most of us beg for food from well up families,” Mintilla said.
“We are grateful that the government cares about its own people. Our children will enjoy eating a balanced diet, which their parents could not afford,” she said.
Narok County Commissioner Isaac Masinde, asked the DCCs to distribute the food in a transparent manner so as to benefit everyone in need.
“I do not want an incident where those who benefit from the food are the rich leaving the poor to continue struggling to put a plate of food on the table. The food is only for the most deserving families,” Masinde had warned.
Narok County is among the 23 counties in the country that were affected by severe drought following a prolonged dry spell that saw many livestock die and water points drying up.
The government committed to provide both short and long term solutions to the drought affected counties and the distribution of the relief food was one of the short term solutions.
President Uhuru Kenyatta flagged off the consignment of relief food to the 23 arid and semi-arid counties affected by drought to benefit approximately 2.3 million people.
By Ann Salaton
