Kenyan Government declares drought a national disaster

The government of Kenya declares drought situation, a national disaster. The International Federation of the Red Cross says infact 11 million people in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia need help.

Speaking Friday after a brief on the situation on the ground by Cabinet Secretaries involved in drought management and food security at State House Nairobi, President Uhuru Kenyatta called on all stakeholders to support the government by up-scaling drought mitigation programmes.

“Support from our partners would complement government’s efforts in mitigating the effects of drought,” said President Kenyatta.

On Tuesday this week, The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) called on the government to declare drought a national disaster noting that about 2.4 million in the country needed help urgently.

 “We hasten to appeal to the Government to declare the current drought a national disaster in order to beckon the international community to step forward and support the many Kenyans who are suffering from this predicament,” said Bishop Philip Anyolo, chairman of the KCCB at a press conference held at Waumini house, Nairobi.

The Bishops called on Christians and people of good will to join hands in solidarity with the Church by contributing funds, food and non-food items to save lives of those affected.

The bishops noted that such a declaration would “beckon the international community to support Kenyans who are suffering from this predicament.”

President Kenyatta appealed to the local and international partners to come in and support the government’s efforts to contain the situation which has affected not only human beings and livestock but also wild animals.

The Kenyan President said that the government would fast track and upscale its mitigation programmes to ensure that drought situation was properly contained.

According to the news agency, AP, the drought situation goes beyond Kenya. It is a regional crisis. On Friday, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said the worsening drought is putting 11 million people in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia in urgent need of help.

(CISA in Nairobi /AP)

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