By Betty Luke
Over 3000 families hard hit by hunger that has been occasioned by the ongoing drought will benefit from a food distribution drive rolled out by Isiolo Women Representative Mumina Bonaya.
The families, drawn from Bulapesa, Chari and Sericho wards will benefit with 10 kilogram of rice and five kilogram of beans donated by the national government in bid to cushion the residents against pangs of hunger.
Ms Bonaya noted that the beneficiaries were identified through a thorough household assessment exercise by the National Drought and Management Authority across the county.
“We settled on the three wards after a need assessment exercise that revealed Sericho and Chari wards have been highly affected. We are looking at reaching out to locals who have been going for days without lighting fire (at their homes) because there is nothing to cook,” said Ms Bonaya.
The food will benefit Modogashe and Iresaboru villages in Sericho, Kachewa in Bulapesa and Chari’s Biliqo Marara, Dima Ado, Biliqo, Bulesa and Goda.
The legislator appealed to the national government to sustain provision of food aid as drought situation is likely to worsen in coming months as projected by the meteorological department.
“Even if the rain we hope for falls, we might take up to six or more months before our people are able to sustain themselves. We therefore appeal to the government to provide more food aid to save lives,” she said.
The food assistance comes amid report form NDMA indicating that over 150,000 people across the county with a population of 270, 000 are in dire need of food assistance.
County NDMA coordinator Omar Abdi said there was need for the local leaders to put in place measures to cushion suffering residents.
“We expect rain soon and after it there might be a prolonged dry season between May and November. If we do not take the necessary measures, we could fall into the emergency stage of drought,” he said.
County Parents chairperson Ismail Galma lauded the program saying it would go a long way in saving lives.
He appealed to the parents to ensure their children are in school saying the government’s school feeding program was on and there was no need for learners to remain at home while their colleagues were in school.
“We have enough food for our children in schools and those still at home should therefore go to school,” he said.
Mr Galma appealed to local leaders to consider the urban poor during subsequent distributions saying they too were reeling from the effects of drought.
Chari Ward MCA Mejja Abdulahi appealed for more aid as the number of those in dire need was high.
According to NDMA, the county needs at least Sh200 million to salvage the drought situation in the next three months.
