Kauli Mwatela
14 June 2004
Nairobi — Residents of Kwale have resorted to eating wild tubers and fruits as famine ravages the district.
A spot check by the Nation in the worst-hit areas of Samburu, Kinango and Lungalunga divisions, found most of the homes deserted, as some villagers were said to have fled to others parts of the district.
Councillors Ahmed Mussa and Kache Nuri from Kinango constituency, who accompanied journalists, said there was a massive drop in school attendance at both primary and secondary levels.
The Nation toured some of the affected schools.
At Mugalani Primary in Samburu Division, the number of pupils had dropped from 840 to 435, according to the headmaster, Mr Gabriel Zuma.
Local schools have no food, despite having been registered for the school feeding programme. At Mugalani, journalists found pupils eating plain boiled maize from the programme.
When contacted, Kwale district officer Joel Cherop said they have sent their recommendations to the Government.
The DO said he was speaking on behalf of District Commissioner, Mr Fred Mutsami.
Mr Cherop said a fax message from the Government had allocated the area 1,800 bags of sorghum, but only 350 bags had been received. He said the amount was too little to contain the situation.
He appealed to willing donors to assist the Government feed the villagers.
Two village elders, Mr Karisa Ndoro, 81, of Dokata and Mr Ali Beja Mwagudu, 70, of Nyamalani, said most villagers had fled their homes due to famine caused by prolonged drought.
"My children (reporters), people in Kwale and especially in Kinango constituency, which is semi-arid, are dying because of hunger. Please, may you tell the Government the truth about this famine in order for it to assist us with relief food and water," Mr Ndoro said.
Councillors Mussa and Kache and the local teachers also ask for help from the Government and well-wishers.
Kinango MP Gonzi Rai yesterday urged the Government to assist the residents with relief food.
"Famine in the district, and especially Kinango constituency, is not a laughing matter. I appeal to the Government, donor agencies, non-governmental, charitable and spiritual organisations to venture into the area and assist people with relief food to save lives," Mr Rai said.
Mr Rai further said the Government and the NGOs should not wait for things to degenerate further as many lives could be lost.
He said his constituents were hardworking people, but all their farming efforts hadhave been frustrated by the prolonged bad weather.
My constituents do not hesitate to make use of any drop of the rains, but now they have nothing to harvest, because their crops dried up due to the prolonged drought," Mr Rai said.
The MP also appealed for the people to be given seeds as they had none in their reserves.
The Nation found people selling their livestock at a throw-away price.
A cow which used to sell at Sh20,000 was going for Sh3,000 while the price of a goat had dropped to Sh1,500 from Sh3,000.
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