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{
    "id": 491184,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/491184/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 57,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 440,
        "legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
        "slug": "kipchumba-murkomen"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, we received this response from the Ministry of Devolution and Planning. We, as a Committee, have deliberated and the response is as follows:- The Government is aware that due to drought people in arid and semi arid counties of Samburu, Turkana, Pokot, Baringo, Isiolo, Garissa, Wajir and Tana River, among others, require urgent food assistance. The ongoing drought situation has affected 1.5 million people in affected areas. This is an increase from 1.3 million people that the Government has been feeding up to the end of the Financial Year 2013/2014. The Government is not aware that food bought by county governments and stored in the silos has not been distributed to starving citizens. However, all the food stocks that the national Government bought have been distributed to deserving cases on a monthly basis as per the attached schedule. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries has confirmed that the livestock off-take programme was launched on 27th July, 2014 at Loruk Centre, Baringo County. The Ministry concerned is, therefore, in a better position to answer questions on when the Government will start the livestock off-take programme in other affected areas. The measures put in place by the national Government, in conjunction with the county governments in arid and semi arid areas to avert looming crisis are:- (1) Joint food assessment based on performance of short and long rains to identify the needy population. (2) Purchase, transportation and rapid distribution of relief food to the vulnerable population as per the attached annex. (3) Coordination of all agencies engaged in humanitarian response. It should be noted, however, that budgetary provision – and this was stressed by the Ministry – for the Financial Year 2014/2015 is grossly underfunded. A paltry Kshs98 million had been availed for purchase of emergency relief food stocks for the entire financial year. This amount is barely enough to feed a single county in a year. Although county governments have been allocated funds for relief food response, they are yet to establish structures to address food needs as first line responders. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}