FOOD CRISIS AFFECTS OVER 10 MILLION ACROSS HORN OF AFRICA

GENEVA (Xinhua) -- A food crisis triggered by severe drought and high prices threatens the livelihoods of over 10 million people in East Africa, a U.N. agency said Tuesday.

The Geneva-based United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said its statistics indicate that the number of East Africans affected by the food crisis has increased 30 percent since January. "The situation is continuing to deteriorate, and the number of people in need will continue to increase," OCHA spokesperson Elizabeth Byrs told reporters.

Eastern Africa is experiencing what has been described as the "most severe food crisis in the world today", with at least 10 million people affected in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Five East African countries have been affected by the drought, including Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda. Some of the areas have experienced the driest period in 60 years, leading to a sharp fall in agricultural output.

 
"We are no longer on the verge of a humanitarian disaster; we are in the middle of it now. It is happening and no one is helping," Isaq Ahmed, the chairman of the Mubarak Relief and Development Organization (MURDO), a local NGO working in the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia, told IRIN on 28 June.

"Three years of little or no rain have led to this disaster. People have not recovered from their previous losses and now we have an even worse drought," he said. 

As a result, food prices have soared in those countries. OCHA reported a 30 to 80 percent rise in grain prices in Kenya, and a nearly 41 percent increase in Ethiopia.
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SELLING OF RELIEF FOOD A "NIGHTMARE" TO HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS

It has become a habit from time immemorial for Corrupt officers to sell relief food destined for needy drought and famine stricken families in Parts of North Eastern Province, Upper Eastern and other ASAL regions.

Now, a  regional commissioner has issued a stern warning to administration officers found selling relief food. Lower North Eastern Regional Commissioner Hassan Farah said tough action will be taken against the officers. His warning comes a few days after police officers impounded 40 bags of rice in the house of a local elder, meant for relief food for residents of Mbalambala. The rice was to be sold to individuals in the town at a throw away price.

Speaking in Dertu divison Daadab district while on a mission to assess the drought situation, Farah said the government will not tolerate officers who take advantage of famine to enrich themselves. He said investigations have started to identify the people behind the plan. He said complaints have been raised by residents complaining that some DCs, DOs, chiefs and their assistants are colluding with the business community and selling relief food. "It is very unfortunate that even as the government tries to do all it can to ensure that nobody dies as a result of hunger including doubling the amount of relief food being distributed in each and every district, wananchi are still complaining that the food is not reaching them in the villages. We are calling for transparency from those with the responsibility of distributing the food," said the commissioner.

He told Wananchi to be on the look out for errant government officers and report them to the relevant authorities. Farah also ordered the DC to put the amount of relief food available on the notice board. He said 2,247 bags of rice will be distributed equally in all the districts within Garissa County every month.

The Commissioner challenged people from the business community, religious leaders, politicians and other well wishers to join hands and contribute what they can to assist those suffering as the responsibility should not only be left to the government. He advised residents to sell some of their animals to the government through the off take programme so as to avoid massive losses.

SKIP LUNCH, FIGHT HUNGER CONTINUES IN EARNEST

Ask Yourself.........How much did you spend on your lunch today? Ksh.100/= for some snacks, Ksh.500/= for some Pilau at Al-Yusra? Or a whopping Ksh 1,000/= on the lunch at Café Pronto? Regardless, if you set that amount of money aside on June 15th, and donate it to Northern Kenya Caucus Skip Lunch, Fight Hunger campaign, you can make a difference in the lives of hungry North Easterners in the towns of Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Moyale and other areas. 

That Ksh.400/= you'd ordinarily spend on three cups of Dorman’s Coffee can help feed four children for a week and you don't actually need to skip lunch to help out! You can help, even with a small donation. Make a M-PESA to Telephone Number 0726-722-226  or +254.726.722-226 if you are in UK

According to aid agencies, 1.5 million Northern Kenya People currently are facing Starvation and are affected by famine and Hunger and more than one million will rely on emergency food now. Our Last similar campaign raised more than Ksh. 350,000 in a single day and the Northern Kenya Caucus Team is shooting for Ksh 10Million in a week by 100,000 persons contributing Ksh100 each this time.