How government is denying drought-related death reports

In an attempt to cover the glaring aftermath of drought and famine, the government has scaled up its efforts to dismiss reports of famine-related deaths in affected parts of the country.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has revealed that the Chief who reported deaths arising from the drought in Baringo County had been fired a long time ago. 

Speaking at an interview with a local radio station, the CS stated that the ex-administrator did not represent the government anymore. 

Matiang’i was also adamant that no life had been lost yet due to the hunger pangs in the North Rift region. 

“The chief purporting to report on the drought situation was fired a long time ago. The County Commissioner in Baringo has confirmed that no deaths have been occasioned by current drought situation,” Matiang’i affirmed. 

Jack Ronei, the man claiming to be Kositei sub-location chief had told journalists that deaths linked to hunger had been reported in Kamusuk, Kositei and Seretion, where four people had died.

Matiang’i also reassured that Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa was on top of the situation. 

CS Wamalwa, during an interview with a popular TV station also maintained that no Kenyan had lost his/her life as a result of the drought. 

“There is no cause for alarm. There is plenty of food within our borders, ” CS Wamalwa told Hussein Mohamed. 

He added that the only challenge was taking food from “where there was plenty to where the shortage was”. 

“In our Strategic Food Reserve, we have over 4 million bags of maize. What we are doing is moving food from where there is plenty to where there is less,” the CS explained. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *