Kenya Red Cross renews appeal for emergency food aid

Kenya Red Cross on Tuesday made a fresh appeal for financial assistance to support emergency food aid to an estimated 1.3 million people affected by drought in 13 counties.

Deputy Secretary General of Kenya Red Cross Society Abshiro Halake said depressed rain has worsened drought situation in arid and semi-arid regions, hence the need for urgent interventions to prevent hunger and malnutrition.

"The dry spell that could extend up to the first quarter of next year has aggravated food and water crises in dozens of counties in the north, upper eastern and coastal region," said Halake.

She spoke in Nairobi during presentation of 30,000 U.S. dollars from Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) to assist drought-hit communities in northern and coastal counties.

Halake said dismal crop yield, drying of water points and loss of pasture have exposed pastoralist communities and their livestock to starvation.

"The food shortage in several counties in the upper eastern and Tana delta has reached alarming levels. We are making appeals from our own private sector to support the needy with food, water and healthcare," Halake said.

Kenya's national drought management authority said in its latest report that food insecurity has reached crises level in six counties and is fast spreading into ten other counties.

The report noted that malnutrition rates in these counties could exceed the global average of 20 percent. Endit