Machakos Senator Agnes Kavindu has blamed former Governor Dr. Alfred Mutua for the hunger that is being experienced in different areas of the county.
Speaking at a function in Kangundo, Kavindu said that Machakos County was not getting relief food after Mutua allegedly asked the county to be removed the county from the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) that require relief food.
“I know there is hunger and I know you are wondering why relief food is not being brought to our county while other places are being given relief food. I want to say the main reason for us missing on relief food is Former Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua,” Kavindu claimed.
“During his tenure, Mutua removed us from ASAL areas and he said that in Machakos there is plenty of water and we have no issue with water shortage and so in our county, there is no drought. I am fighting for us to be taken to ASAL areas because we have no water and we are required to be in those areas so that we can get water, food, and other benefits from the National Government,” she added.
The senator revealed that she had been getting calls from various places in the county that people are in dire need of food even to an extent that children are not going to schools because of hunger.
Kenya and its neighbors are experiencing the worst drought in 40 years, with four consecutive rainy seasons having failed to materialize, wiping out livestock and crops in some regions and deepening a hunger crisis. Over 23 counties according to NDMA are affected by ongoing hunger.
In 2019, then Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua said that the county was no longer on the list of counties receiving relief food from the National government.
“I’m happy that Machakos is no longer on the list of counties receiving relief food. We took a policy decision when we got into government to make sure that our people are not hungry; we expanded the agricultural land, gave free seeds & subsidized fertilizers and chicken,” said Mutua then.
