MORE than 500,000 families in Makueni county are starving. County Commissioner David ole Shege said the families need relief food urgently to save them from hunger caused by a five-year drought.

Speaking in his office yesterday, Shege said Kathonzweni, Kalawa and Kibwezi areas are the hardest hit. "Over half a million families in Makueni are in dire need of relief food to save them from dying due to hunger and the government must act urgently to supply them with sufficient relief food," he said.

The county commissioner said the number was projected to increase with time and the current 3,000 bags of maize distributed to the affected families by the government after every three months was too little to cater for the growing number.

He appealed to the government to increase the relief food noting that the situation was severe since many people entirely depended on the food for survival.