ODM demands gov’t action to save Kenyans from drought

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has demanded that the Jubilee government immediately releases state resources to mitigate the drought currently being experienced in some parts of the country.

The opposition party castigated President Uhuru Kenyatta-led government of spending a lot of time “giving promises” instead of saving Kenyans from starvation.

The party compared the current drought situation to one that occurred in 2009 when its leader, Raila Odinga, then Prime Minister, and former President Mwai Kibaki were at the helm of leadership.

The main opposition party claims that the 2009 drought emanated from four years in a row of lack of rain and affected far many people compared to the current one, which is caused by six months of famine.

“Kibaki and Raila were able to roll out a multi-faceted rapid response programme that was simultaneously launched in eleven arid and semi arid districts,” the party said in a statement.

ODM wants the Jubilee government to emulate the response of the grand coalition government.

Through a statement signed by party Secretary General, Abdikadir Aden, and Suna East Member of Parliament, Junet Mohammed, the party demands that the government deploys resources to supply food, water and medicine to the starving people.

Further, the party wants state personnel including members of the disciplined forces be used to distribute food supplies to the affected communities.

ODM insists that the Jubilee government sets aside funds to buy livestock from the pastoralists to caution them from incurring heavy loss in the event the animals succumbs to drought.

The Raila Odinga-led  party has also advised the government to drill boreholes in the drought stricken areas.

The government, through the Ministry of Devolution and Planning, has acknowledged that 1.3 million people are affected by drought and has already started distributing relief food to the worse hit areas.