KILIFI, Kenya, Oct 15 – Deputy President William Ruto has cited harnessing the country’s irrigation as the key to the attainment of food security in the country.
He said the current famine situation that is being witnessed in some parts of the country can be contained if more focus was given to irrigated agriculture.
Dr Ruto said the country cannot achieve its food security if it relies only on rains.
Speaking in Vitengeni in Ganze, Kilifi County when he distributed food to the residents on Friday, the Deputy President regretted that food security which was part of the Big Four agenda was slowed down by the handshake.
“We had good plans through the Big Four agenda to ensure issues like famine are contained. But the handshake,which came with a different agenda disorganized the plans,” he said.
He said it is through investments in irrigation that the country can get enough food for surplus and for sale.
Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa noted that many parts of Kilifi County have been hit by famine, saying urgent measures must be put in place to contain the situation.
“It is sad that serious famine has hit Ganze constituency and that no food has been delivered to the affected by the county and national government,” she said.
The Deputy President also empowered small business operators in Kilifi North and Msambweni Constituencies in the company of Kwale County Deputy Governor Fatuma Achani and MPs Feisal Abdallah (Msambweni), Mohammed Ali (Nyali), Aisha Jumwa (Malindi) and Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga).
Also present were Benjamin Tayari (Kinango), Falhada Iman (Nominated), Owen Baya (Kilifi North) and Rehema Hassan (Woman Rep., Tana River).
Dr Ruto said it was unfortunate that the country had wasted four precious years in the review of the Constitution at the expense of the country’s development.
“But we have time to redeem our country’s growth through the revolutionary Bottom-Up Economic Development Model that promises to empower millions of ordinary people,” he said.
He said it was encouraging that leaders were now talking about the economy of Kenya.
“But it is not about giving handouts to the jobless; it should be a deliberate plan to sustainably support the poor to earn a living.”
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