By Betty Luke
Over 20,000 households across Isiolo County are set to benefit from the national government’s relief food programme aimed at cushioning families severely affected by the ongoing drought.
Isiolo County Commissioner David Kiprop said the aid was part of government’s interventions to mitigate the effects of the dry spell.
Speaking during the flagging off of the food consignment, that Isiolo Woman Representative Mumina Bonaya lobbied alongside Governor Abdi Guyo, Kiprop said the government was committed to protecting lives and ensures no citizen dies of hunger.
“The government has put in place measures to support food insecure residents to sustain them through this tough season,” he said.
A recent report by National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) has placed Isiolo among nine counties in the Northern Kenya region at the alert stage noting the county received below-normal rainfall, worsening food insecurity and increasing vulnerability among households in the region.
The food items, including rice and beans, is expected to last for about a month.
The administrator assured that adequate measures had been put in place to ensure the food benefits the most deserving families.
A livestock offtake program and provision of pellets, is also expected to be rolled out soon to protect livelihoods as pastoralism remains the region’s main economic stay.
Ms Bonaya hailed the emergency intervention noting it followed her urgent appeals after drought conditions worsened across the county, exposing thousands of families to hunger.
The lawmaker said President William Ruto’s adminstration had committed to send extra food supplies to the county.
She hailed the county government for facilitating the transportation of the food across the county’s 10 wards.
Special Programs Chief Officer Hassan Abdulahi said the devolved government would soon roll out another food distribution exercise after completion of an ongoing drought situation analysis in the region.
