Govt buying livestock as drought bites

The Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) will start buying livestock from farmers in Samburu County in a programme designed to mitigate the effects of the ongoing drought.

KMC’s Managing Director, Joseph Learamo, said that the government has disbursed funds that would be used to buy livestock from 14 counties that have been severely hit by drought.

He said many animals from Samburu North region have moved to Samburu East due to lack of rainfall since October.

Mr Learamo said destocking is the second alternative which KMC will adopt to intervene the effects of drought in the region after receiving permission from directors and commissioners of the KMC.

“Destocking is suitable in places where animals are weak and those that cannot be transported to Nairobi can be slaughtered for community’s consumption,” he said.

He said those in better conditions would be transferred to Athi River to be utilized for meat production and processing and packaged for military and KWS officers.

He appealed to government to pump more resources in drought mitigation as the drought would continue until September.

Samburu Governor, Moses Lenolkulala, and Samburu East Member of Parliament, Raphael Letimalo, said that drought has severely hit most parts of Samburu County affecting livestock, nutrition and leading to a severe hunger situation in the region.

Governor Lenolkulal said that about 120,000 people in Samburu County are currently suffering from hunger as a result of lack of food but as the county government they are ready to supply food. He also appealed to stake holders to step in.

Written by Erick Kombo