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Pastor Dorcas Rigathi pleads for support for hunger-stricken Kenyans

 

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s wife, Dorcas Rigathi, has pleaded with corporations to chip in and support more than 4.5 million people facing hunger in Kenya.

Speaking at Solio Settlement Scheme in Laikipia County on Monday during distribution of relief food to residents, Mrs Rigathi said nobody should die from hunger as severe drought continues to ravage some 24 counties.

The assorted foodstuffs worth Sh6 million were donated by multinational technology corporation Huawei and would be distributed to people affected by drought in Laikipia East sub-county.

“Many people are starving out there while I know private companies and individuals are capable of extending some kind of support, no matter how small. Whatever you have, share it with those affected. The situation is worse than what is being reported,” she said.

Mrs Rigathi said she would visit other counties where people are facing starvation, including Turkana, and promised to mobilize medical and nutritional supplies to support children under five years old affected by malnutrition.

“We have been in Nark and we shall be visiting other places like Turkana since those facing food shortages still require medical support, including supplement vitamins for the children,” she said.

She urged Kenyans to plant more trees to combat the effects of climate change, which she said was the reason behind recurring drought, and asked devolved units to cooperate with the national government to achieve this goal.

She also called for a sustainable approach to alleviate hunger, one of which is to provide water by drilling boreholes and promised to support the sinking of two boreholes in Solio villages in the next six months.

Local leaders who accompanied Mrs Rigathi, led by Laikipia East MP Wangi Kanuri, pledged to work closely with the county government to ensure there is enough water for irrigation.

“The soil here is fertile, what we have is unreliable rainfall to support farming. We are requesting the local water company to provide adequate water and allow the consumers to utilize some of it in irrigation, even if it is a quarter of an acre per homestead,” said Mr. Kanuri.

Solio residents

Residents of Solio Settlement Scheme in Laikipia County wait for relief food from Mrs Dorcas Gachagua, the spouse of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, on October 24, 2022.

Joseph Kanyi I Nation Media Group

More than 180,000 people in Laikipia County are food-insecure, with some pupils skipping lessons due to hunger.

Local leaders called for the introduction of free feeding programmers in schools to cut dropout rates as learners prepare to sit the national examinations next month.

The areas hit hard by the effects of drought include Mukogodo East and Mukogodo West wards in Laikipia North sub-county, where pastoralists have watched in despair as hundreds of their livestock succumbed to the harsh weather.

Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu announced last week that his administration had set aside Sh20 million for purchasing foodstuffs to be distributed in primary and secondary schools.

Speaking in Solio on Monday, elected leaders agreed on the need to suspend other development projects, including upgrading roads, so that finances could be channelled to fighting hunger.

The governor announced that a supplementary budget would be tabled in the county assembly this week and once passed by ward representatives, the funds would be utilised to address hunger, water shortages and health needs.

Meanwhile, Nyeri County has set aside Sh11 million to mitigate drought that has affected ​more than​ 131, 000 people in the area.

​Launching the Drought Mitigation Committee,​ Governor Mutahi Kahiga said Kieni ​sub-county ​is the worst hit with more than 52, 000 people in need of relief food.

He regretted the county has not received adequate rainfall thus farmers missing out on a harvest for four consecutive seasons​.​

​Due to drought, ​Mr Kahiga noted​,​ food prices have shot up with maize, potatoes and beans prices retailing at 60 per cent​ more compared to ​three months ago.

The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA)​ says​ the county is now at ​an ​alert phase with both food and pasture deficiency.

As the national government continues to distribute food items in the 21 affected counties, ​Nyeri ​county has received 520 bags of rice, 720 bags of beans in the last one week which have been distributed in Kieni constituency.

“As we align our budget to procure food items for those in need, I call on people of good will to join us in supporting our needy brothers and sisters in the county. The donations can be in kind or financial,” he said.     BY DAILY NATION   

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