Compensation for Garissa's Herders

The Nairobi Star has this good piece of news for Garissa's herders whose stock has been decimated by an unforgiving drought.

I hope the stakeholders will behave prudently and distribute the funds equitably among the thousands of pastrolists who've been adversely affected by the famine.

If this aid is doled out fairly, there is a good chance our society will be a lot more functional. Let's remember, many of these herders were proud people who lived fully independent lives before they were wrecked by a combination natural calamities and a lack of social safety net.

Injecting politics or tribalism into this is bad and immoral.

The Kenya Drylands Livestock Development Programme yesterday compensated livestock traders in Garissa in bid to cushion them from the devastating drought.

With funds from the United States Agency for international Development, KDLDP paid out the money to community groups trading in livestock for losing their animals.

KDLDP's Chief of Party Francis Chabari said it is part of their work to stabilise households income and food security by empowering communities through giving them financial help. He further said they were looking at improving the access to  the livestock markets. “After loosing all my 200 cows three months ago as a result of drought, the going has really been tough for my family of 8 since my husband is also jobless. But I thank KDLDP that it has awarded us cheques,” said Habiba Sheikh of Bayan women group. The group receivedSh136,000.
Habiba's group engages in the selling of milk, leather, bones and horns.

Chabaria on his part said the KDLDP proposes to pay Sh72 million to support community projects in the 3 counties of Garissa, Wajir andMandera. He urged the locals to fully use the opportunity presented to them by applying for the funds in their respective groups and use the funds to fully exploit the livestock industry.

He added that discussions were at an advanced stage with the District livestock marketing councils in mandera wajir Garissa ijara and Tana river on ways for establishing a sheria compliant community managed fund where DLMC members would be able to save into and borrow from. The region has been had hit by the ongoing drought rendering majority of them destitute.