The government has distributed relief food to vulnerable people reeling from the effects of hunger and starvation in West Pokot County.
The food items included 150,000 kilograms of rice, 120, 000 kilograms of beans, and 60 cartons of corned beef targeting to benefit 31,000 households affected by drought across the West Pokot County.
West Pokot Sub County Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) Emily Ogola noted that the relief food items are meant for the most vulnerable persons especially the elderly and people with disabilities.
“The most vulnerable including those with special needs and families with extreme poverty in West Pokot, Pokot South, Pokot Central, North Pokot, Kacheliba, and Kipkomo sub-counties will benefit from the enhanced relief food programme donated by the Government of Kenya (GoK),” said Ogola.
While distributing the relief food to the Persons with Severe Disability (PWSD) in Kapenguria on Monday, she added that each person will receive six kilograms of rice and four kilograms of beans to cushion them against hunger and starvation.
“Those affected with hunger and starvation should know that government cares for them and will always come up with interventions that will help build resilience in all the vulnerable households,” Ogola said.
At the same time, Ms Ogola urged the residents to stop depending on rainfall, and instead invest in irrigation infrastructure to enable them to water their farms during the dry season.
She lauded the county, national government, and non-governmental organizations for their collaboration, coordination, and cooperation that have enabled the county to drill over 50 boreholes that have helped curb the water shortage in the county.
“The county in collaboration with the national government has drilled over 50 boreholes water for irrigation and the same has helped to reduce conflicts brought about by water scarcity and residents should make use of them for their domestic and crop farming,” she encouraged.
By Anthony Melly
