Kenyan drought: 'You can't turn a dying man away'

Juma Kimaiyo, a farmer in Kenya’s Rift Valley province is a very disappointed man. At this time of year, he would usually be counting his profits, raked in from the bountiful harvest he had become accustomed to over the years.

By Caasi Sagalai
The tall, amiable, dark man, subconsciously rubs his sinewy hands together, as he recounts his losses. Maize usually thrives on his farm, but not this year he says.
‘I invested heavily but the rains just didn’t show up. The cost of equipment and fertilizer combined is astromical. It’s only now that we seem to be having late rains, it’s too late but a man must try,’ he says as he resignedly raises his hands.
Weather, especially rainfall can make or break Kenya’s agricultural based economy. The effects of the severe drought have spread throughout the country.

The pastoralists in the North Eastern corridor who largely thrive on the pasture available for their cattle when it rains had to watch helplessly as their cattle died. In other areas, people have had to boil wild, sometimes poisonous fruit in order to alleviate hunger pains.
Schools will have to close early this term due to meal shortages and high food budgets.
Poor planning
The capital Nairobi, has not been spared either. A shortfall in maize, the Kenyan staple, has seen the price of the commodity double in just 8 months. Other food prices have also shot up.

Nairobi is fed by rural drought hit areas. The skyrocketting food prices attributed to the condition have called for radical adjustments, Nairobi resident, Peter Okumu, explains.
‘I have to survive on a meal per day, it is just too expensive to eat in this city. The drought in the food growing areas of the country has messed everything up. I don’t blame the elements; blame squarely lies on the government for poor planning.’

Maize shortages
The government has put on a brave face to deal with the drought and resultant acute maize shortages. It has been accused of failing to heed experts’ advice on shortages in the national maize reserve.
The government has allowed millers to import genetically modified maize, Kenya becomes the first country in the East African region to import the product.
The move led to hundreds of protestors and activists taking to the streets in the capital, claiming the modified seeds would contaminate soil if planted and have implications on health, food production, the environment and livelihood.
The government was eventually compelled to place conditions. Conspicuous labels will be put on the packets to indicate the maize has been genetically altered when sold.
Refugees
The drought situation is compounded by thousands of refugees from neighbouring Somali, entering the country in droves to flee the severe drought in their country into Kenyan territory; a country already experiencing drought related problems. Kenyans have mixed reactions.
‘It’s like two starving men sharing their last piece of bread. We are hungry but have a reputation for being accommodating neighbours. This is a tough choice between hunger and reputation. You cannot turn away a dying man.’ Says Peter Wagany a Nairobi based musician.
The drought and eventual food shortages have not been without comical moments. A charismatic, youthful politician aspiring to be the next president has cashed in on the situation to form the Unga (maize flour) Revolution Party, whose campaign tool will be to offer hungry civilians free packets of maize flour.

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