An MP has urged the government to waiver payment of school fees in drought-stricken areas across the country. Voi MP Danson Mwazo said the drought had inflicted pain to parents.

While speaking in Voi, Mwazo said it is clear that parents can not shoulder the heavy burden of inflation and at the same time educate their children at this time.

He said drought has disrupted learning in semi-arid and arid regions and might affect overall performances of the schools.

Mwazo said some parents are forced to withdraw their children from school as they can neither pay school fees nor feed their hungry families. "The government should come up with mitigation programmes to cushion its people from starving," he said. He called on the government to set aside a special kitty to cater for emergencies such as famine.

However, the MP said the government is undertaking drought mitigation measures in the area to cushion the affected from any adverse effects. The MP announced that local schools that missed out from last term's feeding programme will be catered for next term. "Last week I sought intervention from parliament on the plight of our schools in drought-stricken areas be included in school feeding programmes. The good news is that from next term food will be distributed to local schools,"said the MP.