Principal Secretary Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) and Regional Development Idris Dokota Thursday handed over assorted food items worth 1million to 250 beneficiaries donated by KCB Foundation and KCB Hola branch.
The food hampers each worth Sh4000 targeted Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), the elderly, marginalized, and Persons Living with Disabilities in the Galole constituency.
The PS urged the KCB Foundation to increase the number of beneficiaries of its scholarship programme in Tana River as a result of the sterling performance recorded in 2022 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE).
“We thank KCB Foundation for the good work they have done. KCB is one of our partners in the National Drought Management Committee,” he said.
PS Dokota also witnessed the account opening of Hunger Safety Net Programme (HSNP) beneficiaries in Sailoni village, Garsen constituency.
HSNP is implemented by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA).
Through the programme, PS Dokota said, they have disbursed cash transfers to 101,800 households in Turkana, Mandera, Wajir, and Marsabit counties.
“We have now expanded the programme to four more counties including Tana River, Garissa, Isiolo, and Samburu, from which we will add an additional 32,000 households.”
“The expansion will bring 7,377 beneficiary households from this county under the cash transfer programme. We expect to complete the account opening exercise by January, after which beneficiaries will receive cash transfer disbursements every two months,’’ elucidated the PS.
The beneficiaries who have been affected by the ravaging drought will each receive Sh 5400 bi-monthly translating to Sh239m annually.
The PS exhorted the beneficiaries to prudently use the money they will be receiving to cushion them from the prolonged drought’s vagaries.
Tabea Mwakamuyu, HSNP beneficiary said the programme will enable them to buy food and take care of their families.
She said, “We are going through a difficult situation. We are struggling to find food for the children.”
The PS revealed that he would work with all elected leaders to come up with long-term plans to ensure people have water in their homesteads and farms to avoid reliance on relief food while the county has the largest river.
“We have to come up with long-term drought mitigation measures, it’s a shame we have a river that flows here every day but we don’t have water. Even our County name is called Tana River but it is ironic there is no water”, he said.
We will cooperate with elected leaders and relevant ministries to solve water problems. If Tana River people get water, 50 per cent of our economic problems will be reduced, said the PS.
He added that ASALs counties have arable lands and thus can produce food for the country if the water problem is solved. He said the government is keen to solve water problems in ASAL counties.
By Sadik Hassan
