As the drought continues to sweep across most parts of the country, and dire consequences felt, two conflicting reports have emerged on the current situation of food distribution in Baringo County.
On Saturday, while speaking at Emining area, Baringo Governor Stanley Kiptis assured the residents that relief food was already being distributed in the affected areas of Tirioko, Silale, Akwichatis, Korossi, Ng’inyang’, Paka, Kositei, Kisanana, Sagat, Maji Moto and Oterit.
Kiptis said his government had also dispatched water bowers to serve the affected areas. While acknowledging the severity of famine especially in Tiaty, parts of Mogotio, Baringo South and North sub-countie the Governor reiterated that no death has been reported in the county as reported by the media.
“I have visited all the areas and I have firsthand information and…. no one has died as a result of hunger,” he said.
The governors reports where however put on question when a spot check carried out by one of the leading media stations in the country proved otherwise.
In the spot check conducted in affected villages including Tirioko ward on Friday revealed a dire situation, even as more than 1,000 bags of maize lie in stores at the sub-county headquarters in Chemolingot.
The report revealed that thousands of starving residents of Tiaty in Baringo County are yet to receive help despite Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa launching a food distribution programme a week ago.
Tirioko is the hardest hit by the food crisis following the prolonged drought in the region. Other affected villages include Akoret, Gulel, Kapau, Chesawach, Ng’aina, Katagh and Chesotim.
Chepokarial Ng’uriale, 15, with a five-month old baby, said she had not eaten anything for two days. The last meal she took was porridge from a neighbour.
“My neighbours left a month ago and I was left with my baby. I had to trek for over 1okm to see if I could get some food. I am starving and I have no breast milk for my son,” Ng’uriale said in one of the reports by the media house.
In the neighbouring Katagh village, a grandmother and her six-year-old year granddaughter are said to have died of hunger a week after they were left to fend for themselves as the other family members migrated.
Meanwhile, a section of Kanu party leaders wants the government to buy maize from farmers for hunger-stricken areas instead of extracting from the grain reserves.
Led by Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, the politicians said there was a surplus of grains in the hands of the farmers.
“We appreciate the move taken by the government so far to save the situation but we are opposed to the idea of taking out maize from the stores yet there farmers are in dire need of market for their crop,” said Moi.