Day: July 25, 2023

The World Food Program in Malawi says a funding shortfall has forced it to cut by one-half food rations for more than 50,000 people at the country’s only refugee camp.

The food cuts come at a time when refugees at the Dzaleka camp are complaining of inadequate food assistance, a situation that has forced some of the refugees to voluntarily return home.

Earlier this month, 38 refugees from Burundi returned home, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said plans are under way to repatriate another group of more than 50 refugees.

Simon Denhere, acting director for the WFP in Malawi, told VOA via a messaging app that the shortfall is because of a number of factors, including the high cost of food both locally and globally.

“The conflict in Ukraine, the enforcement of encampment policy by the Malawi government, and rising number of refugees worldwide, mobilizing resources, is increasingly becoming a challenge,” Denhere said.

Dzaleka is home to upwards of 50,000 refugees, mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Somalia.

The WFP provides monthly cash assistance at the camp — where the refugees face several challenges, including insufficient shelter and inadequate health, water, and sanitation services.

The agency says the assistance provided was designed to meet the minimum recommended energy needs of 2,100 kilocalories.

However, it says the food cuts mean the refugees will now be receiving a monthly cash allowance of $5.90 per person.

Niyibigira Goreth, a refugee from Burundi and a community leader at Dzaleka refugee camp, told VOA the food cut likely will force many vulnerable women and girls into prostitution and men into theft to earn a living.

“Just imagine having 5,000 [Malawi Kwacha] a month, how can you have all you have to eat within a month, it’s a small amount of money per month. It will impact the refugees, some of them may go on prostitution and others may become thieves,” Goreth said.

The food cuts come as the government continues to relocate refugees who were staying in areas outside the camp.

The government says the relocation exercise, which started in June, is in line with its encampment policy which restricts the refugees to living and operating within camp premises.

Malawian officials said this month more than 2,000 of the targeted 8,000 refugees have been relocated to the camp.

Mikayas Bakola, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was staying in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, with his Malawian wife. He told VOA the food shortage situation at the Dzaleka refugee camp has divided his family.

“Even if you can call my wife now, we are not together, she stays in Lilongwe. Just because we calculated on the problem that if she can come with children, I cannot financially manage because I am not getting food,” he said.

Last year, the U.N. World Food Program in Malawi delisted nearly 700 refugee families from food assistance, citing funding problems.

The WFP office in Malawi said in a statement this week it needs $6.3 million to reinstate the food assistance to current levels until June 2024.

“WFP is making significant efforts to engage donors and will continue to redouble its efforts to secure funding to avoid further reduction in assistance,” Denhere said.

In the meantime, he said, the WFP continues advocating to promote an enabling environment for increased self-reliance and to explore opportunities that would make refugees self-sustaining.

Source: Voice of America

Eastern Regional Commissioner Paul Rotich has urged residents of Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties to coexist harmoniously and shun division over land issues.

Speaking at a meeting held at Ugoti, Igembe South sub-county, on Monday, Rotich regretted the many lives that had been lost due to land disputes between residents of the two regions. ‘It is so unfortunate to lose the lives of our beloved ones over land disputes,’ he maintained.

The meeting was attended by residents of Tharaka Nithi, Igembe South and Tigania Central, all of whom urged the government to assist in solving the many land disputes in the region.

They also asked the government to address the rising cases of insecurity in the region, assuring them of their support.

Rotich was flanked by, among others, Meru County Commissioner Fred Dunga, his Tharaka Nithi counterpart Nobert Komora, and Igembe South deputy County Commissioner Noah Kibet.

He reminded the residents that, though they resided in neighbouring counties, they were one people, which is why they should remain calm and avoid any verbal or physical engagement.

‘We are one people, brothers and sisters, and we live in one Kenya. We should not fight one another but should love one another and be our brother’s keeper,’ Rotich urged.

The coordinator expressed his commitment to ensure the two counties’ border disputes become a thing of the past, stressing, ‘My biggest project in the Eastern region is to end the disputes surrounding the boundary. We have intermarried with our neighbors and it is painful to see our in-laws dying.’

He further promised to engage the Njuri Ncheke council of elders in efforts to realise long-lasting peace in the region, as well as the two county commissioners and the two land offices.

Meru County Commissioner Fred Dunga echoed the regional commissioner’s sentiments and urged residents to support security agencies in the war against crime.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Two people found illegally transporting 120 bags of charcoal with a street value of Sh 96,000 without a permit have been fined Sh 50,000 each or, in default, serve six months in prison by a Kabarnet court.

John Wambugu and Rhoda Wanjiru were accused that on July 21, 2023, at around 7 p.m. at Labos Block 4 area in Marigat Sub County, they were found transporting the said charcoal using a White Lorry Registration no. KDC 898R Isuzu FRR without a movement permit from Chief Conservator of Forest.

The accused were convicted of transporting the forest produce without a licence, an offence that is contrary to the Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016 in Kenya.

The suspects who were apprehended by officers from Marigat police station were placed under custody at the station on the same day.

In mitigation, second-accused Wanjiru, while appearing before Principal Magistrate Caroline Ateya on Monday, pleaded for leniency, claiming that she is a single mother and sole breadwinner of four children, two of whom are adopted orphans.

The first accused, Wambugu, also appealed to the court to forgive and acquit him as he was the sole breadwinner for his family, which included his two children and himself.

Wambugu also requested that the court order that the impounded lorry be given back to him, claiming it was still the property of a bank after he used it as security for a loan that he was still servicing.

The Principal Magistrate ordered the state’s seizure of the 120 bags of charcoal.

Ateya further gave Wambugu 14 days to come up with valid reasons as to why the vehicle should not also be forfeited.

The case is set for a mention on August 7.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Interior and National Administration CS Prof. Kithure Kindiki has warned perpetrators of banditry attacks that the government will not relent in dealing with the menace in a bid to restore lasting peace.

Kindiki was speaking when he visited Kiserian village, Mukutani ward, Baringo South Sub-County, Monday, where a banditry attack was reported to have taken place last Sunday, though no casualties were reported as the security agents repelled the culprits on time.

The CS was accompanied by Baringo County Commissioner Stephen Kutwa and area MP Charles Kamuren, among other local leaders.

‘We are warning all criminals that the security agents will deal with you as no one is above the law,’ Kindiki affirmed.

However, the CS acknowledged efforts of the National Police Reservists (NPRs) and other security officers for their prompt response and promised to add more NPRs so as to restore lasting peace in the area, as they were the first line of defence.

He also visited farms in Kasiela and Kapindusum villages in Tiaty, which residents had abandoned after constant banditry attacks.

Nonetheless, he lauded residents who had planted crops and settled down and promised to initiate irrigation programmes to ensure food security.

He noted that resettlement efforts would be supported by the government and the over 10 schools that are still closed would be reopened.

‘More teachers will be employed and especially those from insecurity-prone areas will be given special consideration and given more slots during the 20,000 recruitment exercise,’ the CS said.

Kindiki further noted that new administrative units will be put up in areas that need enhanced security.

He said that the areas gazetted in March 2023 as bandit-prone and dangerous areas to visit, including Arabal, Korkoron, Tandale and Ngelecha, would still remain under close security surveillance.

The CS added that Ruko Conservancy will be gazetted as a security operation area and bandits disguised as pastoralists should desist from moving there.

Kutwa said in his address that the security agencies were committed to ensuring that normalcy was restored, noting that the support by the government was beneficial in restoring hope to the residents.

On his part, Kamuren warned politicians to desist from inciting residents against each other but instead foster peaceful co-existence by giving hope to the residents.

He urged the CS to expedite resettlement of the displaced residents in every village and increase NPRs to 10 per village.

‘More NPRs would ensure that security is restored and residents will be able to perform their economic activities without fear, hence boosting development,’ Kamuren added.

The MP also called on the government to divert the equalisation funds to open up security roads in Rukus, Mukutani and Arabal and use the balance to build an NPR training camp, so that officers can learn skills in carpentry and masonry to ensure they can earn a decent living.

Maendeleo ya Wanawake chairperson Nasaru Kiriamo thanked the government for providing food to the affected residents, noting that they were ready to go back to their homes but needed more NPRs so as to restore lasting peace.

Source: Kenya News Agency