Garissa County Steering Committee on Drought has assured the residents that the government is doing everything possible towards mitigating the effects of drought affecting them.
Addressing the media after a special Committee meeting bringing together government agencies, NGOs and development partners, Garissa County Commissioner (CC), Boaz Cherutich, said that the government is working around the clock, to help the people affected by the on-going drought.
“We have been informed that a total of 337 households have been affected and at the crisis level. These households have approximately 167,000 persons and these are the people we are currently targeting,” CC noted.
“We have recommended several programs, which we are going to scale-up so that we reach these people within the shortest time possible. Water trucking, which is running, through the support of the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), Livestock vaccinations is also ongoing,” he added.
Cherutich noted that the Committee has recommended to both the National and the County Governments, to urgently procure a total of 22,000 bags of animal feed.
He called for collaborations with government agencies and development partners to ensure maximum use of resources and reduce duplication of services delivered to the people.
So far, at least 2 million Kenyans from 10 counties, have been hard hit by the current drought ravaging the country, although the government has been helping through the Hunger Safety Net Program, by releasing money to households affected.
By Erick Kyalo
