Laikipia county launches Sh20 million food programme to schools

The Laikipia County Government has launched a Sh20 million programme to supply relief food to schools in the wake of a ravaging drought in the region.

While launching the programme, Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu said though more than 180,000 residents were facing hunger, the first support would be extended to primary and secondary schools to keep learners in the institutions.

“We are determined that we will keep all learners in school, especially those who are preparing to sit for the national examinations next month. We shall distribute relief food in all the schools in the county,” said the county boss while flagging off the first batch of food supply that included 2,000 bags of rice, 8,330 litres of cooking oil and 185 bags of beans.

Mr Irungu said he had talked with high school principals to convert the food donation into fees for students whose parents were unable to pay to sustain them in school.

“For instance, if we give out Sh200,000 worth of relief to a school, that contribution should be seen as a monetary contribution with the funds being converted into fees payment for the needy students. After all, the school management had budgeted for food supply,” said the governor.

Laikipia East Deputy County Commissioner Patrick Muli admitted that some hunger-stricken pupils were fainting in some schools especially in Laikipia North.

However, the government officials who included County Director of Education Charles Nyakundi denied reports that any pupil had died out of hunger.

Just rumours

“Reports have been circulating that some pupils have died due to hunger. This is not true but these are just rumours but I want to give assurance that no pupil or student will be sent home either to look for firewood or fees,” said Mr Nyakundi.

The intervention by the Laikipia County Government comes even as the Nyeri Catholic Archdiocese launched a school feeding programme targeting some 2,000 pupils in Laikipia North.   

Father David Ouma of the Doldol Catholic Mission Church told the Nation.Africa most pupils in the area have dropped out of school while others have been married off due to lack of food in their homesteads.

He spoke when he received food donations worth Sh205,000 from students and staff of St Mary’s Boys Secondary School in Nyeri and which would be distributed to various primary schools in Laikipia.

The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) is also set to start distribution of livestock pellets to the pastoralists.

“We shall commence distribution of some 2,800 bags of livestock pellets as a supplementary fodder to the animals,” said Mr Muli.

NDMA Laikipia County coordinator Golicha Guyo had in an earlier interview told the Nation.Africa that though some rain had fallen in parts of the region, many households were affected by hunger, especially in Laikipia North.

“We have received some rain in parts of Laikipia East and Laikipia Central but the situation hasn't changed much. Laikipia North, occupied mainly by pastoralists, is in need of food aid,” Mr Guyo said.

He added that between 5,000 and 7,000 cattle were still holed up in the Mt Kenya and Aberdare forests, where they were driven earlier this year in search of pasture. Some of the cattle are from the neighbouring counties of Isiolo, Samburu and Meru.

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