Over 300 vulnerable households from the Muslim community in Namanga Kajiado County have received food donations to cushion them against hunger occasioned by the prolonged drought.
The families received the food rations to sustain them during the holy month of Ramadan courtesy of Mudavadi Memorial Foundation Trust Fund and Ahadi Kenya Trust.
Tessie Musalia, wife to Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, noted that vulnerable persons in the society were the most affected by hunger.
She called on all Kenyans to live together in peace and harmony regardless of their religious differences.
“I want to urge all Kenyans to live together like brothers regardless of religious differences. It is possible for Christians to share food with Muslims and co-exist in harmony,” said Mrs. Musalia.
Ahadi Kenya Trust Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Stanley Kamau reiterated that all Kenyans should strive to live together peacefully and avoid being divided by political and religious differences.
“In the past few days, we have witnessed a church and a mosque being burnt down in Kibera. I would like to urge all Kenyans to avoid being incited on political and religious grounds and let’s all work together to help those who are suffering from hunger,” said the CEO.
Dr. Kamau noted that pastoralists in arid and semi-arid counties had lost thousands of livestock, their main source of income, and were in desperate need of food aid.
He called for the adoption of Livestock Insurance Policy by national and county governments to cushion livestock farmers from losses incurred.
“I want to urge the County and national governments to make it mandatory for pastoralists to have livestock insurance policy so as to cushion themselves against losses incurred from livestock deaths during periods of drought,” Dr. Kamau said.
Kajiado Deputy Governor Martin Moshisho noted that the drought had affected many households with over 100,000 families in dire need of food aid.
Moshisho revealed that elderly persons, expectant and lactating mothers and children under the age of five were the most affected and were facing acute malnutrition.
He called on more well-wishers to chip in and donate food aid to cushion the locals against imminent hunger.
According to the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), over 5 million people in Kenya are facing starvation and do not have access to clean water following a severe prolonged drought after four failed rain seasons.
The nutrition status of children and women has worsened with 970,000 children below the age of 5 and 142,000 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers requiring urgent life-saving treatment for malnutrition.
The situation is severe in Arid and Semi-Arid (ASAL) counties like Turkana, Marsabit, Mandera, Isiolo, Garissa, Baringo and Samburu where populations are facing critical malnutrition levels.
By Rop Janet
