By Joseph Masha and Patrick Muriungi

Starving residents of Ganze constituency in Kilifi District have resorted to eating bush meat.

The bush meat business is thriving in market centres in Bamba, Malindi and Kilifi.

Mr Kipkelong Kikwai of Kenya Wildlife Service, Gede office, said the most affected areas are Muryachakwe, Ndigiria, Jila and Midiona in Bamba Division

"Chiefs use bush meat, especially that of dik diks, buffalos, and wild pigs, to feed guests at their barazas," said Kikwai.

Last week, the officer led KWS personnel in a swoop to arrest suspected poachers. They arrested six people and recovered 12 dik dik carcasses, which were on sale.

The suspects were later arraigned in court and fined after pleading guilty.

But civic leaders accused KWS personnel of harassing residents. Mitangani councillor Daniel Mangi, whose ward borders Tsavo East National Park, and his Mwahera counterpart Mr Omar Kiboni told KWS wardens to stop arresting residents. They claimed KWS had failed to stop wild animals from straying to farms.

Mangi said residents’ crops were destroyed by the wild animals, especially elephants and buffalos.

North Imenti MP Mr Silas Muriuki has appealed for an urgent supply of relief food to about 3,000 people in his constituency.

The MP appealed to the Ministry of Special Programmes, the Kenya Red Cross and other well wishers to intervene.

"More than 3,000 people in the semi-arid Ruiri/Rwarera in Buuri District and slum areas in Imenti North are starving," said Muriuki.

Other areas in the constituency hit by severe famine are Kisima, Barrier, Ndunyuruma and Mugae.

"Let’s pray that rain comes. If it does not, then the situation will be devastating," said the legislator.

Muriuki called for urgent supply of maize flour and oil to the affected areas, which experienced total crop failure last season.