Samburu flags off relief food worth Ksh 22 million

The County Government of Samburu will spend Ksh 22 million in the next three months on a destocking program to cushion residents from losing livestock due to the ongoing drought.

Speaking at the Maralal Cereals and Produce Board on Friday, March 10 after flagging off 3,000 bags of relief food, Samburu Governor, Moses Lenolkulal, said that the destocking program will be carried out in the most affected areas of Samburu North and East.

Last month, the national government, through the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), purchased 2,500 goats and sheep worth Ksh 5 million in a destocking program in Samburu East and North.

Governor Lenolkulal added that the county government will buy 2,000 goats and 1,000 cows which will be slaughtered and given back to the residents to supplement their diet.

“Instead of sitting back and watching livestock succumb to drought, we will buy the weak animals. Each goat at Ksh 2,000 and each cow at Ksh 18,000 and the herders will benefit through money and meat for their families,” he said.

The Governor added that the 3,000 bags of relief food flagged off Friday will reach 120,000 beneficiaries in Wamba and Baragoi areas in the next ten days, saying that the relief food is part of 14,400 bags that the county government bought for distribution within the next three months.

Written by Ronald Kibet