1.1/1.2: Ole Ntimorua and a friend look at the carcasses of the cattle that have died due to drought.
The looming draught in Kenya is becoming serious by the day. The weather patterns have drastically changed as is known world over and Kenya is not spared. The rivers and lakes are drying, cattle are dying and people are starving. 'The cattle can no longer make it to the market alive. We are therefore forced to sell them at a throw away price of $14 yet we bought them at $140 dollars." says Onesmus Musau World Relief Kenya staff who has just come back to the office from visiting his home. A recent trip to one of the sites World Relief Kenya operates, Loitokitok, only reinforced the gravity of the situation on the ground. Duncan Sakimpa Mobilizing Youth For Life, field coordinator had this to say: "My recent visit to Loitokitok for a MYFL youth refresher training left me shocked at the current famine situation in the district.The area is inhabited by mostly the Maasai people who are pastoralists and a few who live along the streams that flow from Mt. Kilimanjaro. The rains have failed for two consecutive seasons leaving the land completely bare without pasture or browse for their treasured livestock. “Our lives are in grave danger” is all what one Ole Ntimorua said while describing the situation as I took the pictures of carcasses around the cultural boma. The few remaining livestock have moved to the neighboring Tsavo National park, a situation that has brought human and wildlife conflicts in the park leaving the shepherds and game rangers engaging in running battles in the park, others have migrated towards Arusha and beyond in the neighboring Tanzania. Currently, the government or any other agency is not giving any relief aid to the local community, if the local community don’t get any assistance in the coming weeks, the situation may turn for the worse. Though food aid may look like the ideal solution to fix the situation temporarily, but long term measures may be the solution that will involve sensitizing the people on micro finance and commercializing the livestock and reduce them in numbers to avoid overgrazing. If any of us is in a position to mobilize for any kind of the much needed aid to our brothers and sisters in Loitokitok, it will be highly appreciated. Thanks and God bless you all." Duncan Sakimpa.
The media, local authority and individuals have tried to assist by providing food but this can only go so far. The food rations distributed may perhaps last one month or a day. Then what next? Long term solutions is the only way to go to avoid future loss of livelihoods.
Pray for Kenya! World Relief Kenya will be distributing food in the coming week.
