About 30 counties in Kenya are facing acute drought, hunger, and devastation. The dry spell has moved beyond and people are now clinging on a tattered thread of hope of seeing tomorrow. People in these counties have neither food nor water.
Stats now show that about 4.5 million Kenyans are on the brink of starvation. About 5 million children are facing acute malnutrition as the country struggles with food shortage and hunger. The government seems overwhelmed and clueless.
Worse even the relief food released by the government almost 2 months ago never reached the targetted. This means that someone within or without the government stole food meant for people who are dying of hunger and nobody is talking about it.
To address the hunger problem, the government, led by President William Ruto, says that it has released subsidized fertilizers to the farmers in an effort to increase food production. For those dying of hunger, it seems they should postpone their dying and wait for farmers to grow more food.
Counties affected by drought include:
- Turkana
- Baringo
- Isiolo
- Mandera
- Marsabit
- Samburu
- Wajir
- Kilifi
- Lamu
- Nyeri
- West Pokot
- Laikipia
- Garissa
- Makueni
- Taita Taveta
- Tana River
- Embu
- Kajiado
- Narok
- Meru
- Tharaka Nithi
- Kitui
- Kwale
As hunger and drought bite in the said counties, Kenyans in other counties are struggling with the high cost of living that has left millions of them in abject poverty. The price of such commodities as sugar, maize flour, and cooking oil is through the roof.
The price of a 2-kilogram packet of Unga is currently retailing between 215 and 259 shillings, the highest in the history of the country. The President, who promised to reduce the price of Unga in the first 100 days, has now asked for one year.
Something needs to be done urgently. The country needs food as soon as possible or it will die.
