About 800,000 people have been adversely affected by the current drought in Turkana County.
The Turkana Deputy Governor (DG), Peter Lotethiro revealed this as he flagged off seven lorries to transport food to the worst hit areas including Kalapata , Nanam, Lapur, Kibish, Lokangai, Lobukat and Letea wards. The food included vegetable oil, maize, beans and rice.
“We don’t want any food to remain in the stores when our people are suffering,” he said at national cereals and produce board stores in Lodwar.
“The county has ordered 36,000 bags of maize, 10, 000 bags of beans (50kgs each), and 10,000 jericans of vegetable oil (20 litres each),” Deputy Director for Disaster Management, Moses Nawoton said, adding that the county has already received half the amount.
The County Executive Committee Member for Disaster Management, Charles Lokioto said the national government is yet to distribute food to the locals.
The National government has been prioritizing supporting Irrigation Schemes to ensure the arid and semi-arid areas are food secure unlike in the past where relief food used to be budgeted for. According to the DG, the drought cycle is entering alarm stage.
To ensure food was not misdirected to other areas, Lokioto said sub county administrators have been instructed to verify the amount of food they receive before it is distributed.
By Peter Gitonga
