North Eastern MPs to blame for drought ravaging the region

By Billow Kerrow&#12288;Unfortunately, it is that unpredictable season when unmitigated drought hits our Parliament and makes some of our MPs cry foul. It comes in the form of political misfortunes such as when the political star of an MP is dimming, or when a political party feels its honeymoon is being blighted by its enemies. For those from ASAL areas, it is the thirst for survival by the people and their livestock that drives them to desperation and hopelessness. But neither the drought ravaging many parts of the country, nor KACC’s forays into ODM territory is political.First, the drought is likely to decimate much of the 50 million livestock in ASAL areas, valued at more than Sh200 billion by the Kenya Livestock Marketing Council, unless urgent sustainable measures are taken by the Government. In 2005/6, livestock worth more thanSh70 billion was lost in North Eastern Kenya alone to drought. In 2008/9, Kenyans watched in horror as thousands of dying livestock were belatedly trucked to KMC, and carcasses littered their yard in Athi River.According to Ministry of Planning and National Development, 25 per cent of the country’s population live in ASAL, and accounts for 70 per cent of the nation’s livestock, 10 per cent of the country’s GDP and 80 per cent of its eco-tourism interests. Over the years, many have lost this livelihood to perennial droughts and are hooked to Government’s relief food handouts, shattering the pride of a resilient pastoralist community.But the MPs from the region are largely to blame for the crisis. They know that this Government, like all the others before it, pays only lip service to real development of ASAL region, particularly with regards to finding sustainable solution to the drought effects. Mets alerted this nation more than three months ago about pending Lanina effects but little was done to prepare the residents for it. The so-called Ministry of Northern Kenya and Other Arid Areas is a whitewash, a little more than a public relations exercise to hoodwink the residents, just like the 2003 ‘Marshal Plan’ and several other false initiatives before it. Since its inception, this ministry has not spent half the Sh7 billion Treasury has utilised on the 600,000 IDPs of the 2007 post-election violence, with its role reduced largely to co-ordination of other line ministries plans for the region. The ASAL development policy paper remains a draft for more than a decade, and the World Bank’s Arid Lands Management Programme that provided ‘first-aid’ drought intervention in the region is moribund.The lack of proper range management leading to poor pasture utilisation, lack of water and inadequate marketing opportunities for the pastoralists has bedeviled the region. The few billions allocated for dams and boreholes is often stolen, and incomplete infrastructure dots the region. This is why I believe those managing the Water Ministry ought to be guests of PLO; never mind what those ODM psychophants say about jumping the queue.In 2004, the PNU then known as Narc, complained that KACA was jumping the queue and should have arrested the Moi-era looters first before nabbing their budding Anglo-leasers. ODM thinks its record on anti-corruption is good; I entirely agree, but only on the rhetorical record! And it had many close shaves!The PM’s office survived the maize scam; it’s Deputy PM was embroiled in a grave matter. The party chairman is in court, along with the deputy party leader. Their ministers in immigration, medical and water dockets have had their day in the court of public opinion. Well, maybe not the majority but certainly the creamy part of it. Clearly, it is a bad season not just for pastoralists but this party too. Fortunately, PLO’s outfit is now anchored in the Constitution. It’s a little too late to dream of disbanding it. Maybe, they are out to disband the irrelevant ASAL ministry their party created to get votes.

North Eastern MPs to blame for drought ravaging the region

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