Some of the affected counties include Kwale, Garissa, Isiolo, Kilifi, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, West Pokot and Wajir/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 27 – Kenya is set to receive 21,000 metric tons of rice to help Kenyans affected by drought.
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa, says the rice worth Sh2.25billion will arrive in the country in 30 days and will be distributed in the counties adversely affected by the drought.
Liu says at the moment his government is working on logistics to start shipping the rice.
“At the request of the Kenya government, the Chinese government would like to provide the Kenyan people, with emergency humanitarian food aid to counter the drought. We will provide Sh2.25billion for rice. With our two countries good cooperation, this rice should reach to the people who suffer hunger in Kenya,” Liu said during the signing agreement on Monday.
Some of the affected counties include Kwale, Garissa, Isiolo, Kilifi, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, West Pokot and Wajir.
Receiving the grant, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich said food will play a great role in boasting the existing government support to at least 3 million affected Kenyans.
“I wish to thank the government of China for the quick response to the appeal by giving us financial commitment after the government declared the drought a National Disaster,” Rotich said.
The government has already released Sh7.3 billion after President Uhuru Kenyatta declared drought a natural disaster.
In the past 100 years Kenya has experienced 28 droughts. However, in the early years, drought occurred about every 10 years.
