Construct multipurpose dams to eradicate hunger in Ganze - Teddy Mwambire tells government

Ganze lawmaker Teddy Mwambire

BY PETER KOMBE

The government has been told to initiate long-term solutions including constructing multipurpose dams to eradicate hunger and drought in Ganze sub county, Kilifi County

According to Ganze legislator, Teddy Mwambire short term solutions such distribution of relief food will not help in eradicating drought and hunger in the constituency.

“The only way to do away with drought and hunger in Ganze is to come up with long-term solutions. Relief food is only short term” Hon Teddy said

The lawmaker says the area has been relying on relief food due to the short term in solutions that the government has been offering go the locals.

He urged the both the national government and the county government to map out areas within the constituency viable for the construction of the dams.

“This area has been relying on relief food year in year out. It should not be the norm” he noted

He says the constituency has already mapped out 24 sites viable for the construction of the multipurpose dams.

Mr. Mwambire says the constituency has sponsored a total of 53 students to study a certificate in general agriculture at Pwani University.

He says the students are currently sitting their certificate in general agriculture.

The lawmaker says once the students complete their studies they will be deployed in all the areas within the sub county as agricultural extension officers.

KILIFI COUNTY INTERVENTIONS

In a bid to address the teething problem, Kilifi county government has resorted to long term solutions for its residents with the department of agriculture initiating up and running irrigation schemes.

According to the county government the schemes will serve to secure the county food resources.

The county government has mapped projects including Zia ra Wari irrigation scheme in Garashi, Magarini Sub County, Kavunyalalo irrigation scheme in Kakuyuni ward, Mangudho scheme in Sokoke ward and Mdachi scheme in Jaribuni ward.

Close to 200,000 people in Magarini, Ganze and Kaloleni sub counties have been hit by famine.

In Ganze sub county food has been distributed in areas like Petanguo Tsangalaweni, Palakumi, Migumomiri and Mrima wa Ndege.

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS

During his Tana River visit in March this year, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa urged county leaders in all drought stricken counties to cooperate in coming up with measures to mitigate hunger situation

According to the CS county governments should be the first defending tool during disasters before the intervention of national government.

In the Coast region, some of the counties affected by drought include Kilifi, Tana River and Kwale.

On April 10 devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa revealed that 1.8 billion had been disbursed by the government to combat famine in the country since January.

The CS said the money had gone into helping almost 100,000 households mitigate the effects of drought in the country.

“We have through the hunger safety net program been able to transfer in this period from January about 1 billion” he noted

He says 13 counties have been affected by drought with Turkana, Wajir, Mandera and Marsabit counties being the worst hit.