Lamu residents turn to boiled herbs, roots as drought persists
Members of the minority Boni community search for water in Kiangwe village, Lamu East sub-County. The say they have to travel many kilometres in search of the now rare commodity as the drought persists. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Ali Sharuti said if the drought is declared a national disaster, they might get the urgently needed assistance.
- He said many times the villagers are forced to go for as long as three days without food.
- Dide Waride, Chalaluma, Moa, Hongwe, Zebra, Pangani, Lumshi, Madina and Bar’goni villages have been hit hard.
- Lamu County has over 30,000 households and at least 300,000 livestock are on the brink of starvation due to the drought that started in mid-2016.
The prolonged drought in many parts of Lamu County has forced residents of some villages hit hard by famine to turn to herbs and roots for food.
In Pandanguo in Witu division where the minority Boni community live, residents are now boiling herbs and roots, which they use as food.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, the residents said the situation is threatening their lives and their livestock and appealed to the government to declare the drought a national disaster.
Ali Sharuti said if the drought is declared a national disaster, they might get the urgently needed assistance.
He said many times the villagers are forced to go for as long as three days without food, with children skipping school due to hunger.
He appealed for aid from the government and well-wishers.
CHILDREN MISS SCHOOL
“We are forced to turn to herbs and roots for survival. Food is a problem here [in] Pandanguo Village. Water is also a big problem.
"Our women and children have to walk for over 20 kilometres to Witu Town to get water at a very high price. Lack of food and water has even forced most children to drop out of school,” said Mr Sharuti.
Other areas affected by the drought include Dide Waride, Chalaluma, Moa, Hongwe, Zebra, Pangani, Lumshi, Madina and Bar’goni villages.
In Dide Waride and Chalaluma villages, locals have already lost some of their livestock to the drought.
The villagers have appealed to the Lamu County government to stop herders from other counties from driving their cattle to Lamu in search of water and pasture.
“Our pasture and water sources have diminished, but herders from Tana River, Garissa and Wajir keep on bringing their livestock into Lamu.
“I urge the county government to come up with a law that will ban these herders from entering Lamu with their livestock. They should remain in their counties,” said Halima Guracho.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority, Lamu County has over 30,000 households and at least 300,000 livestock are on the brink of starvation due to the drought that started in mid-2016.
