Councilors in Turkana County have expressed concern over the government's uneven response to a drought affecting all 30 wards in the county. They state that more than 120,000 families require emergency aid due to severe food shortages, while remote areas have yet to receive assistance because of transportation challenges.
Councilors in Turkana County have voiced concerns about the drought impacting all 30 wards, highlighting the government's lack of balance in aid distribution. Through a motion to adjourn a meeting, they noted that over 120,000 families need emergency assistance due to acute food scarcity. Residents in remote areas, such as the villages of Lokipoto, Nakitongo, and Kibish, have not received relief food owing to transportation obstacles, even as the government claims sufficient reserves.
Lokichar Ward Councilor Samwel Lomodo stated that some villages in his ward have received no aid at all. He warned that the drought has led to water shortages, diminished grazing lands, livestock deaths, food deficits, and rising malnutrition among children and vulnerable groups. This situation could escalate into a humanitarian crisis affecting education, public health, and social and economic stability.
At a stakeholders' conference in Lodwar, Minister Geoffrey Ruku mentioned that some deputy county commissioners sold portions of aid food to rent trucks for distribution. MPs Daniel Epuyo and Ekwom Nabuin pointed to funding shortages for transporting supplies to areas like Kibish, about 400 kilometers from Lodwar, where no aid has arrived and pastoralists crossing into Uganda, Ethiopia, and South Sudan are overlooked.
Disaster Management Officer Patrick Losike reported that as of Wednesday, 22 wards had received food aid, with the rest expected within eight days, due to transport issues and contractor delays. Special Councilor Mary Nakwapwan criticized the delays, noting emaciated livestock and families, even in Lodwar town, going days without meals; she stressed the need for sustainable initiatives like functional boreholes and irrigation schemes.
County Agriculture and Livestock Officer Michael Eregae confirmed livestock deaths at 10 percent and an outbreak affecting goats and sheep, with a plan to vaccinate 600,000 animals. Councilors emphasize the importance of swift coordination and long-term investments to avert recurrent droughts in this county, one of Kenya's most vulnerable to climate change.