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Mandera, December 27, 2005

President Mwai Kibaki consoles Ibrahim Kul Hassan, one of the malnourished children admited in Mandera hospital when he visited them. The President was in the disitrict to assess the drought situation and flag off food disitribution in the affected parts of the North EasternProvince.

President Kibaki reassures on Relief food

President Mwai Kibaki today interrupted his Christmas Holidays to asses the famine situation and distribute relief food in North Eastern Province.

The President and First lady Lucy Kibaki visited Wajir and Mandera Distinct where they distributed thousands of tones of food to famine stricken people.

Speaking at Mandera Baraza Park, President reiterated the Governments commitment to ensuring that no Kenyan died of starvation.

Said the President, “ the Government will not shirk from its responsibility of looking after its people and will distribute relief food to all areas affected by food shortages in the country”.

Noting that the shortage of rains is a perennial problem in the area President Kibaki pointed out that rains had once again failed in the province this year but assured that the Government will do its utmost to provide relief to the affected areas.

Earlier President Kibaki and First Lady Lucy Kibaki toured Mandera District Hospital, paediatric ward and consoled children recovering from malnutrition.

The President at the same time said the Government has set aside funds to buy livestock from the pastoral communities in the province and advised those with large herds of animals to take advantage of this Government programme and destock their herds.

“ The Government will buy the animals to save livestock farmers from unnecessary loss,” said the President.

During the function the President flagged off nine lorries of relief food destined to various centres in the district.

On trade along the common borders, President Kibaki told residents of the area they were free to buy merchandise from neighbouring countries through the recognized trade practices.

Said the President, “ it would be naïve for the Government to prohibit Kenyans to engage in fair trade along our common borders.”

Amid applause President Kibaki pointed out that such fair trade might even be more cost effective to the local people.

The North Eastern Provincial Commissioner Aggrey Mundinyu said the Government and its international partners through the Arid lands resource management programme had spent Kshs million 2.7 on water projects in the province in the last six months.

Mr. Mundinyu added another Kshs million 2.5 had been spent on fuelling water boreholes adding that Kshs million 400 had been spent on buying animals from livestock farmers in the area.

“ These animals are latter slaughtered and the meat distributed free of charge to the people,” the PC said.

He went on to say that 823.3 metric tones of food, 365.13 tones of oil and 1200 bags of Soya beans had been distributed to the people in the same period.

On its part the Government has singularly distributed 17000 bags of maize, 9500 bags of beans and 8000 cartons of cooking oil to people in the province.

He said the Government will further spend 300 million to buy livestock from farmers which will latter be slaughtered and the meat freely distributed to the affected people.

President Kibaki also touched on education and asked Parents to take advantage of the free primary education programme and enrol all school age children to school.

“ No Kenyans child should miss an education due to school fees’” he emphasized.