President William Ruto’s administration has applauded the Wajir government's efforts to mitigate drought blamed for the deaths of thousands of livestock and loss of livelihoods.

In February, Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi urged President Ruto to declare the persistent drought a national disaster to enable the government to mobilise resources to assist the affected population.

Administrative Officer at the Office of the President Michael Ololtuaa said that whereas the national government has been distributing relief food to all parts of Wajir county, the devolved unit has done a great job alleviating poverty amid the biting drought.

“They have been spending so much to alleviate poverty in Wajir by distributing relief to the people who are in need,” Ololtuaa said.

He spoke at the launch of the third phase of an Iftar programme targeting 25,000 families, an initiative of the Wajir government.

In drought mitigation efforts, the county government has procured animal feeds including 22,000 bags of high-fibre range cubes, 4,000 jerricans of molasses and 2,000 metric tonnes of urea-molasses-mineral block (UMMB) feed supplement for the animals.

The county has further handed over 5,260 bags of livestock supplementary feed (range cubes) targeting 2,630 households.

The items were acquired courtesy of the Emergency Locust Response Programme (ELRP), which supported at least 11,000 vulnerable households.

Wajir county was further hailed for placing more than 7,000 livestock under insurance.

The county distributed 100,000 doses of anthrax vaccine to cover livestock in Wajir East, Wajir South and parts of Tarbaj.

The Abdullahi-led administration also dispatched emergency relief food in three phases.

Phase one of the food distribution was undertaken in November 2022, where the county distributed 25,000 bags of rice each weighing 25kgs.

Some 4,167 cartons of vegetable cooking oil weighing 18kgs each and 5,000 bags of beans each weighing 50kg were also given to residents.

Phase two of the relief food distribution saw the county distribute 42,000 bags of sifted maize meal, each weighing 25kgs, and 7,000 cartons of vegetable cooking oil.

During phase three, which coincided with Ramadhan, the county on Thursday flagged off assorted food items.

In the package were 125 metric tonnes of dates, 200 metric tonnes of rice, 200 metric tonnes of nutritional porridge and 12 metric tonnes of cooking oil targeted at 25,000 households across the county.

“We really appreciate and I believe the Office of the President notes what goes on in the county government and what the governor of Wajir is doing to help alleviate poverty in Wajir,” Ololtuaa said.

Ololtuaa called on assistant county commissioners, chiefs and their assistants to work closely with county government officials to ensure a fair distribution of relief food during this holy month of Ramadhan.

“We are calling upon our officers on the ground to partner with officials from the county government such that everyone can be reached,” he said, adding that priority should be given to underprivileged families.

“A chief has the mandate to cooperate with officials from the county government. We do not want to hear about any chief who is not cooperating, please that is the order to our officers on the ground,” he added.

National Drought Management Authority boss Abdullahi Halakhe commended Governor Abdullahi’s administration saying the county government has distributed relief food to the majority of schools and the general public.

He said due to the floods, the county government, together with other partners, is working on an interim report which has been sent to the national government and includes the repairs of some broken roads.