Armed bandits steal relief food meant for Baringo North residents

By Brenda Kiprono

Armed bandits are said to have intercepted a National Youth Service lorry that was ferrying relief food to Baringo North residents affected by the drought.

The bandits are reported to have ordered the NYS personnel to offload the entire consignment of foodstuffs meant for hunger stricken families and took off.

The NYS officers ferrying the food stuffs were forced to run for their lives as the bandits fired at the lorry.

The relief food is part of the government mitigation measures to cushion those facing hunger.

Meanwhile, residents of West Pokot, which is one of the areas worst hit by drought in the North Rift, are migrating to Uganda in search of pasture and water, with  children reportedly dropping out of school due to the situation.

Following the development, the local leaders are now appealing to the National government to make the hunger situation in the county a priority.

West Pokot governor, Simon Kachapin, stressed the gravity of the situation, saying that despite the relief distribution exercise being carried out by the county government, the fight against hunger in the region was overwhelming, with the number of those affected rising on a daily basis.

Area senator, Prof John Lonyangapuo, and former information minister, Samuel Poghisio, also challenged the national government to boost efforts by the county government to deal with the situation.

The two faulted the World Food Programme (WFP) for stopping distribution of relief food to primary schools in Pokot North, saying this has impacted negatively on learning.