Isiolo County leaders have expressed concern over drought situation in the area following three seasons of inadequate rainfall.
Addressing reporters after flagging off four trucks of relief food to assist thousands of families affected by hunger across 10 wards in the County, Isiolo governor Dr. Mohamed Kuti said that the county government needs support from both the national government and other well wishers to feed her people.
He added that considering that the drought situation has hit the County and resources at the devolved government’s disposal are also meager, there is dire need for intervention of the national government and other food donors so as to feed about 50,000 people.
Dr. Kuti said the county receives the least allocation from the national exchequer annually but his administration has intervened to cushion local people from the severity of the drought by purchasing and distributing 10 tonnes of assorted foodstuffs.
He warned ward administrators and members of committees who will take charge of the distribution exercise in their respective wards against misuse of the food stuffs.
He called upon members of public to be vigilant and report anyone found stealing or selling the relief food so that appropriate action can be taken to ensure that the food reaches the needy families in all parts of the county.
The governor observed that the county leadership had notified the national government of the hunger situation through the devolution ministry, and the Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa had issued assurance that the national government had ordered food from china to take care of all the affected citizens.
He however noted that the need for food in Isiolo was urgent, and hence the move to feed the locals as they await relief from the national government was necessary.
An estimate of 10 metric tonnes of rice, beans and maize flour purchased by the county government will be distributed to needy families across the 10 wards in the county.
The governor noted that locals from some wards in Isiolo were facing an acute shortage of water especially for livestock, a move that prompted the county leadership to seek support from donors.
Following the plea, Water Services Trust Fund donated funds to rehabilitate all the dysfunctional boreholes, and water trucking in areas far from water points and fueling of generator pumps.
Governor Kuti together with the MCAs appealed to the national government and well wishers to intervene and support his administration in supplying relief food before the situation deteriorated.