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Kenya: Food, Fuel Crisis Looms Over Post-Poll Violent Protests
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The East African Standard (Nairobi)
5 January 2008
Posted to the web 5 January 2008
Nairobi
The post-election violence has triggered a humanitarian crisis in several towns across the country.
Mombasa residents face an acute shortage of food while heaps of uncollected garbage litters the city estates.
In Nyanza, over 3,000 people displaced by the skirmishes are starving at various 'refugee camps' according to top Red Cross officials.
In Koibatek, thousands of litres of milk are going to waste because farmers cannot reach the market due to insecurity.
Garbage collection has been disrupted in the city due to the tension that has ensued.
Eastlands area is the most affected where the heaps are piling up. The main road leading to Eastleigh from town, General Waruinge Street, is partly closed by the garbage.
Yesterday, a few city council workers were cleaning the Central Business District.
The Town Clerk, Mr John Gakuo, told The Saturday Standard operations of the council had been hampered by the rioting youths.
He added that the council had lost millions of shillings in uncollected revenue over the past week.
In Mombasa, food traders said several trucks that normally supply them with essential commodities have been withdrawn.
Three leaves of Sukuma wiki are retailing at Sh20 while an egg is going for Sh15 up from Sh6.
A spot check by The Saturday Standard showed a loaf of bread was selling at Sh40 and milk was not available.
Mombasa Municipal Council admitted that the temporary closure of its key markets in Kongowea and Majengo has led to losses running into thousands of shillings.
The council's assistant town Clerk, Mr Mohammed Mwatunza, however, refused to give exact figures.
"I cannot tell you how much we have lost due to the temporary closure of our markets, but it must be running to thousands," he said.
In Kisauni, Kongowea, Maweni, Mishomoroni, Migandini and other areas, garbage is littered all over.
Mwatunza, however, assured Mombasa residents that the council would collect the garbage.
The Kenya National chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), Mombasa branch has warned of dire consequences if manufacturing firms do not start operations soon.
KNCCI Executive Officer, Mr Felix Mogaka, said the food crisis in Mombasa was unique as the island depends entirely on supplies from upcountry.
Kenya Red Cross Society Nyanza region co-ordinator, Mr John Odenyi, said the displaced face starvation.
"The displaced, majority of them women and children, camping at various police stations, are in desperate need of food," said Odenyi. He was speaking when he met Nyanza PC, Mr Paul Olando, in his office, to seek assistance.
He told the PC there was an urgent need for the Government to provide food to the victims.
"The situation at the camps is tragic. Majority of them have gone without food for more than a week and might die if the Government does act," Odenyi told the PC.
He said Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations were providing medical care and clothing and not food.
Odenyi took journalists to the camps where they were met by desperate women and children, begging for food.
Nakuru has also been hit by the shortage of essential commodities like vegetables, milk and flour.
A spot check by The Saturday Standard at the Nakuru main wholesale market showed that vegetables and other foodstuffs were in short supply.
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Prices of available commodities have been hiked, forcing consumers to dig deeper into their pockets. In the South Rift, businesses mainly operated by 'outsiders' were looted while others were torched. The closure of the main highways, has also meant there are no fresh supplies in Kericho town.
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| Copyright © 2008 The East African Standard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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