The government through the steering committee has distributed relief food to residents in Ijara Sub County in Garissa County who have been affected by drought.
Despite several areas receiving rain, the county government is still doing water tracking in some areas that are not receiving rain and residents affected by the drought that lasted more than four months are in need of relief food.
Chairing a special district steering group meeting in Masalani, Ijara Sub County Commissioner, Julius Too said thousands of residents in the region still stare at hunger and starvation because of drought.
Too said his office has received 111 of 90kg bags of maize, 300 bags of 90kg beans, fortified food worth 20 bales of 25kgs and 50 cartons of vegetable of 3litres.
He said the committee had resolved to distribute the food to five secondary schools and 73 feeding centres within Masalani town, in Ijara sub county because the food is not sufficient.
The commissioner however said some of the consignment of relief food is still on the way and they will be distributed to the residents.
“Funds allocated to mitigate the effects of drought are being used to salvage the situation including purchasing and distributing relief food to areas mostly affected by drought,” he said.
Mr Too further disclosed that the government has planned to substitute its cash transfer programme to beneficiaries soon and noted that instead of food distribution by giving cash to vulnerable people.
“The cash transfer programme is a way of ensuring the affected families can buy a variety of food stuffs and not necessarily depend on donations that do not give them freedom to choose,” he said.
The meeting was attended by all departmental heads elders, all deputy sub county commissioners from Ruqa, Kotile ,Ijara and Masalani divisions.