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Kenya: 3.5 million people face the threat of starvation – says Action Aid
Fri. April 21, 2006 01:38 pm. -
Apunyu Bonny
(SomaliNet) Action Aid warned Friday that some 3.5 million people face the threat of starvation as Kenya’s food crisis worsens, despite recent rains.
Many Roads are water logged preventing Aid trucks passage. Mean while, there have been outbreaks of disease and many more animals have died, unable to survive the cold.
"The rains should not create a false impression. The food crisis in Kenya still continues and is worse than ever. With roads blocked, vital supplies of food have not been getting through. Only now the rains are subsiding can we reach the people in desperate need," said Roger Yates, Action Aid’s head of emergencies, who is currently in Kenya.
For the last 10 days, many of the roads in the worst-affected areas such as Mandera and Moyale have been cut off. With the rains easing, the roads are becoming passable again and the aid agencies have resumed emergency food deliveries. Mean while, Outbreaks of measles have been reported in Marsabit and in Isiolo many people are suffering from stomach pains due to drinking dirty water.
Some 10,000 people have been displaced by the rains throughout the country. In Isiolo, one of the areas worst hit by the drought, eight people have died and 3,000 people have lost their homes.
"The next few months are crucial to the survival of millions of people. With most of the cattle gone and no harvests for many months to come, people will be totally reliant on relief supplies. "I have seen for myself how bad things are. I urge people to keep giving to our East Africa appeal – they will be saving lives," said Hannah Crabtree from ActionAid UK who returned from Kenya three weeks ago.
With more than 400,000 people, ActionAid has spent over half a million pounds on its emergency response programme in Kenya todate. The organisation is focusing on the provision of seeds, the restocking of livestock and irrigation projects.
The agency is also launching emergency programmes in Tanzania, Burundi and Somaliland.
News Category: East Africa
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