Millions facing food shortage

2006-03-21 22:22

Nairobi - Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki says that five million people are facing food shortages as a result of a drought that has put millions of people across east Africa in danger of starvation, but the United Nations insists it still targets 3.5 million people.

Kibaki said: "About five million people throughout the country are experiencing food shortages as a result of failed rains."

Kibaki said the government had already spent 5.12 billion shillings (about $72m) from a consolidated government and donors' fund to feed people who were facing the threat of famine.

WFP feeds 3.5m people

He said: "It is estimated that an additional 6.3 billion shillings (about $87.1m) is required up to the end of June to meet the increasing needs of the growing numbers of those affected by the famine.

"The government will therefore be requesting for supplementary appropriations to meet the additional requirements."

But, the World Food Programme (WFP) said it was officially coordinating feeding programmes for 3.5m people, a figure that was reached in February after the UN, humanitarian groups and the government carried out a joint survey across the country.

WFP forced to cut distribution of oil

Peter Smerdon of the WFP said: "Our figure still stands at 3.5 people, but we believe that it has gone up and we will be giving a new figure."

Kibaki was addressing parliament shortly before WFP said it had been forced to cut distribution of vegetable oil to three million Kenyans suffering from drought.

At least 40 people had died in northern Kenya and livestock was also dying at an alarming rate amid acute food shortages that were threatening at least 11 million people across the east and Horn of Africa regions.

The UN had warned that many more would die if donors delayed delivery of much-needed support.

- AFP