Red Cross appeals for funds to feed over 1.8million Kenyans staring starvation

By EDWIN CHESEREK

The Kenya Red Cross Society has appealed for Sh1.2 billion to feed the more than 1.8 million people currently faced with starvation in the country.

Mr Paul Birech, the Red Cross Governor, said there was need for more players to come to the rescue of the people living in the drought-hit areas.

"The situation is getting worse especially in the pastoral areas and we are asking for more aid in order to contain the catastrophe," said Birech.

He was speaking on Monday in Pokot East District of Baringo County where he led the Red Cross Logistics and Disaster Response team in distribution of foodstuffs and water tankering to the residents.

The team used eight primary schools in Lokoromoi location as the distribution points.

"We decided to use the schools as the distribution points because the classes are safe for storage and can easily be accessed," he said.

He said they enlisted the help of the local leaders because most of the residents have migrated to water points and it was difficult to access them.

The World Vision has been the major player and other non-governmental organisations, which have been supplying food in the area.

The food aid saw three schools namely Riongo, Nathan and Akuichatis, which had been closed for lack of water reopened.

"The current famine has affected many parts of the country and we need support from other players to successfully fight it," he said.

Another team of disaster response unit, he said, was in Moyale where animal off take and destocking exercise is taking place.

He said that the team will move West Pokot and would use 10 primary schools as the centres for distributing food to the affected.

Pastorals in the area reportedly crossed over to Uganda with the animals in search of pasture and water for their animals since the drought commenced.