Isiolo county deputy governor Dr Lowasa flagged off humanitarian food assistance received from the national government.
Briefing the media as he flagged off the food, Lowasa said Isiolo county had received 1080 bags of beans each weighing 50kg, 600 bags of rice each weighing 50kg and 300 cartons of corn beef.
The food is set to benefit residents of the three sub-counties in Isiolo which include Garbatula, Merti and Isiolo North.
The DG also said that everybody in need of the relief food will be put into consideration including people living in Isiolo’s slums, which have always been ignored, and the schools to facilitate feeding programs.
He also called on those living in town to report any person found selling the relief food because cartels could divert the food from the starving members of the public.
Additionally, the county’s second in command said they are working together with the NGOs to contain the hunger situation in Isiolo county which has left 145,000 people in dire need of food and water.
The DG said that the distribution of the relief food will kick off on Thursday, September 29, 2022, after they deliberate on some issues with all the stakeholders.
“We are doing a co-planning with all the stakeholders so that we do not replicate these activities like the cash transfers so that every person in need gets assistance,” Lowasa said.
The deputy governor reiterated that the humanitarian food assistance is still little owing to the fact that the meteorological report says that there is a 60 per cent possibility that Isiolo county will receive rains that are lower than normal.
“For the next three months, our people will need relief food and we promise to work with the County Assembly to pass the supplementary budget so that we can also fund the program,” Lowasa noted.
The deputy governor further expressed how the county government of Isiolo is taking part in fighting hunger, pointing out plans to fund an animal off-take program and continued supply of water, revealing that water browsers are already distributing drinking water to the residents.
The National Drought Management Authority Isiolo county Director Omar Abdi thanked the government for the move to save the starving citizens.
Abdi noted that 15,000 families are already enrolled in the cash transfer program while 15,000 more are in need of the cash transfer noting that the government is working things out to ensure they too receive the money.
Hassan Okicha, a senior chief while addressing fellow chiefs, warned them against the selling of the dispatched food and told them to ensure only the deserving receive the same.
He also added that those employed and other well-off members of society should not receive the food meant for the poor.
Okicha further noted that all the cash transfer beneficiaries will have their names listed and displayed to the public to enhance transparency.
