Kitui MCAs want drought declared a national disaster

 Kitui MCAs have asked the government to declare the drought situation in the country a national disaster.

Kitui County Assembly Speaker Kelvin Kinengo Katisya addresses the press after attending a thanksgiving church service at AIC Tudor, in Mombasa County on Sunday October 2, 2022. /MWINGI TIMES
 

Led by their Speaker Kelvin Kinengo the Ward Reps called on the national government to supplement the already ongoing measures to cushion citizens being ravaged by the menace across the country.

The pleadings come barely a week after President William Ruto flagged off relief food to some 23 counties hard hit by the drought.

The lawmakers were speaking after a thanksgiving church service at the AIC Tudor, in Mombasa County on Sunday. They are attending a week-long induction workshop at the Coastal city.

“There is hunger everywhere. We thank the president for the relief food. As Kitui County we have planned that when we open the Assembly next week, we will prioritize things that affect the people of Kitui including the drought”, said Mr. Katisya.

The MCAs vowed to prioritize passing a supplementary budget courtesy of the county executive as to deal with the biting drought and water challenges bedevilling the county.

“We have decided to work together with our governor irrespective of our political party affiliations,” the Assembly boss affirmed adding that “We have also pledged to work with the president William Ruto to ensure his bottom-up economic model serves its purpose”.  

The legislators lamented that their constituents have continued to face hunger, and therefore called for urgent and more stringent interventions to cushion and remedy the worsening situation.

Katisya’s sentiments were shared by Tharaka Ward MCA Muthengi Ndagara who reassured of the assembly’s commitment in mitigating the adversity brought about by the devastating calamity.

“As MCAs we ask the president to declare drought a national disaster so that all those affected by drought and especially Kitui County which is hard struck.  We are asking our governor to bring a supplementary budget that we will pass it to help our people, including getting seeds to plant when the rain comes,” said Ndagara.

STORY By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT