President Ruto directs Gachagua to convene crisis meeting.
Kenya’s president, William Ruto directs Gachagua to convene crisis meeting. The meeting is aimed at resolving the drought issue that has affected almost 20 counties.
President Ruto stated that a solution needs to be a soon as possible to save the lives of over 3 million Kenyans who do not have a source of food.
The meeting will consist of the government of Kenya and the leaders from the counties who will formulate a way of dealing with starvation, among people.
President Ruto said,”My deputy Rigathi Gachagua will, Monday, convene a meeting of GoK involving county leaders/officials to harmonise urgent interventions to stem the severely adverse effects of ravaging drought in almost 20 counties that are putting about 3 million people at great risk.”
President Ruto who is still out of the country, delegated this meeting to his deputy who is the acting president.
President Ruto in his address, stated that the drought issue needs to be mitigated since so many people are already suffering.
He cited scarce rainfall that has led to scarcity of water, poor crop growth and lack of pasture to animal. This issues have triggered an increase in food prices thus complicating the lives of citizens.
President Ruto said,”We cannot afford to waste another moment debating the merits of doing something vis a vis doing nothing. It will soon be too late to reverse the course of events.”
“3.1 million residents of these ASALs are now severely food-insecure on account of scarce rainfall over three consecutive seasons, leading to poor crop and pasture. This unprecedented confluence of intensely adverse events has exacerbated water scarcity and starvation, worsened by rising food prices, thus complicating Kenya’s roadmap towards delivering good quality of life to our citizens.” President Ruto added.
The United Nations also warned of an anticipated crisis that will put over 3.5 million people at risk of starvation in the Horn of Africa.
Also read DP Gachagua’s promise to the people of Nyanza