Families in need of relief food as drought bites

West Pokot

Several families are in need of relief food following a prolonged drought that has hit the county.

Many more are fleeing the area in search of food and water. Local leaders led by the deputy governor, Titus Lotee, have appealed for relief food to help alleviate hunger.

Relief food

Mr Lotee said the county government will dispatch some food items to some of the worst hit areas as he urged the national government to release the Sh50 million it promised last year towards food aid.

"We have started distributing food but 4,000 bags of maize is not enough and humanitarian organisations should help us and save our people," said Lotee.

He added that the county is putting in measures to ensure residents engage in farming of crops that are drought resistant to mitigate the effects of drought.

Lotee said the county government was unable to fully respond to the situation since it doesn't have the capacity to distribute enough food.

Kacheliba MP Mark Lomunokol said three people in Pokot North were buried alive as they dug for minerals to sell and buy food.

Mr Lomunokol said the umber of people facing starvation was on an increase. "There is no water since all the water points have dried up," he said.