The National Government has begun disbursing 18,000 bags of rice to counties in the Coast region that have been affected by the current drought.
Speaking on Monday at the Mombasa Port while receiving the relief food, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said the drought has forced hundreds of residents in the region to stare at hunger and starvation.
Mr Wamalwa said they had received 55,000 bags of rice and 18,000 would be distributed in Lamu, Tana River, Kilifi and Kwale counties.
The CS said the relief food will be distributed to other areas in the country that are also affected by drought to ensure that the suffering brought about by the current situation is minimized.
He said the 18,000 bags of rice would top up to 100,000 bags of maize that had been harvested at the Galana –Kulalu irrigation scheme.
“Because of the coastal counties that are also drought stressed, we have agreed we are going to leave part of this rice here at the coast.”
“Out of the 55,000, we have agreed that 18,000 bags are going to be left right here so that they can be disbursed to Kilifi, Tana River, Kwale and Lamu,” Mr Wamalwa said as quoted by Baraka FM.
CS Wamalwa further said that priority would be given to the counties which are worst affected by drought including Isiolo, Kajiado, Mandera and Garissa which are among the 23 counties faced with drought.