The
stench from the dead carcasses of cattle filled the air as convoys
of vehicles streamed through dusty villages in Mandera and Wajir
in northeastern Kenya. After the failure of the October to December
rains, the reality on the ground is grave, and the lives and
livelihoods of thousands of nomadic cattle farmers are at stake.
More than one million people in 18 districts have needed food
aid because of drought since 2004. Rainfall has continued to
be inadequate. Now an estimated 2.5 million people need emergency
food and other aid.
A fact-finding team toured Mandera and Wajir Districts on 22
December 2005 to assess needs due to the drought. The team comprised
the Kenya Red Cross Society’s (KRCS) disaster committee
chairman Laban Kitele, disaster preparedness and response director
Farid Abdulkadir, the Kenyan Minister for Special Programmes
(in charge of Disasters), members of parliament from the affected
districts and government officials.
“Thirty per cent of the livestock has died and the remainder
is at risk of perishing,” said Mandera District Commissioner
Waweru Kimani. “The drought is expected to worsen in the
next few weeks since rains are not expected until April 2006,”
he warned.
The Mandera Hospital medical officer of health, Boniface Musila,
said ten people, mostly children, have already died of malnutrition-related
complications. “More lives will be lost if relief intervention
is not immediate,” said Dr. Musila.
There is only one therapeutic feeding centre in Mandera with
a capacity of 40 children. “Sixty children are currently
at the centre with severe malnutrition, kwashiorkor (a form
of malnutrition caused by lack of protein), dysentery and diarrhoea
caused by the drought,” explained Dr. Musila.
A government report says the percentage of children at risk
of hunger or already malnourished is higher than normal. Some
children are relying on medication to survive, and their cash-strapped
families have to pay for the treatment.
Dr Musila asked for immediate outside help. “Things are
not just bad, they are very bad. We need immediate intervention
at the health centres and to provide food to adults. We need
to ensure a high survival rate for animals.”
He said emergency funds were needed for boreholes and water
tankers for the whole district of Mandera. He feared that the
situation could lead to conflict between communities at water
points that were already overstretched.
The normal October to December short rains failed and so 95%
of boreholes, earth dams and water pans in Mandera district
have dried up. The remaining water sources cannot cope with
constant demand from livestock and humans. The distance travelled
to fetch water in areas not served by boreholes or water trucking
services has increased from four to six kilometres to eight
to twelve kilometres. The queuing time for domestic water in
boreholes has also increased from the normal one to two hours
to twelve to eighteen hours.
Many households are resorting to selling animals at less than
10% of their normal value. The collapse of the livestock market
in major centres has led to hardship.
In response, the Kenya Red Cross Society has provided Ksh 4
million (US$ 550,000 / € 465,000) to buy starving livestock
including camels, cattle, sheep and goats, to improve people’s
diet and to provide resources for the remaining animals when
pasture and water conditions improve. The Secretary General
of the Kenya Red Cross Society, Abbas Gullet, said the Red Cross
had never before bought starving livestock from farmers.
“This system is being adopted as the best way forward
to bring back livelihoods for the pastoralists, who are then
able to utilise the resources to sustain their families for
a period of time,” he said. “Animal take-off is
the best way of preserving the dignity of pastoralists receiving
aid and is also the most suitable long-term solution.”
The Red Cross has begun implementing the animal take-off programme
in the Mandera region and will soon begin it in Wagir Marasabit,
Kagiado, Garissa and Espolo.
Abiba Bora, 55, is one of many farmers who are distraught after
losing animals to the drought. The Red Cross programme to buy
livestock was put in place too late for her goats. She stood
by her dead animals and pondered her next move. With 21 grandchildren
to feed, she has nowhere to turn to for support. “I do
not know what I am going to do now. I fear that my remaining
goats will soon perish,” she said. Being a pastoralist,
she relies on livestock for survival.
Even camels, which are normally able to withstand weeks without
water, are dying. Red Cross disaster preparedness and response
director Farid Adbulkadir said, “When camels begin to
die, as we have seen, it is a clear sign of the severity of
the situation.”
“We are appealing to Kenyans to donate relief food to
support the people. We hope that this Christmas season will
see generosity from well wishers,” Mr Abdulkadir said.
The Kenya Red Cross will continue to work to ensure more lives
are not lost as a result of the drought. Currently, it is the
lead agency for the government drought operation in Kwale district,
where the KRCS supports 87,060 people with relief distributions.
In addition to providing more food, the Kenya Red Cross will
truck water for people and animals, and build or repair water
systems.
For its part, the International Federation has allocated more
than 425,000 Swiss francs (€ 273,000 / US $ 325,000) from
its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund for immediate aid and detailed
assessments. In collaboration with the KRCS, it is preparing
an international appeal, to be launched in the coming days.
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In
Kenya, an estimated 2.5 million people need emergency
aid after the failure of the October to December rains.
Thirty per cent of the livestock has died. (p13678)
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The
Kenya Red Cross is already distributing water and relief
to drought victims. It plans to extend its operation ans
is preparing an international appeal, with support from
the Federation. (p13679)
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| Abiba
Bora, 55, standing by one of her dead goats. A pastoralist,
she relies on livestock for survival. She is distraught
at the thought her remaining goats might perish. (p13677) |
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