Nomadic Kenyans struggle with famine

Nomadic communities in north-eastern Kenya are grappling with the effects of what has been described as the worst drought in decades.

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In Northeastern Kenya, it's the worst draught in decades.

Nomadic communities' in the dry hamlet of the country have had their entire herds decimated.

The United Nations which recently declared famine in two regions in neighbouring Somalia say that communities in Kenya and Somalia have lost millions of their livestock and at least 3.5 million people in Kenya alone will need food aid.

"For the past six to seven years we have not had any rains here; the population then was around 6,000 to 7,000 but since the drought became serious, the population has drastically reduced and it is just the few of us remaining," Wajir resident Mohamed Hadjii said.

The others have left and have gone to look for water and pastures elsewhere."

Emergency feeding programs run by the Kenyan government and other other aid agencies have sprung up throughout the region but aid workers here say that more aid is needed.

The United Nations World Food Programme on Wednesday said that more than 11 million people are in need of food assistance in the Horn of Africa.


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Source: Reuters

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