Cabinet approves Ksh.4 billion additional funds to mitigate drought

In a meeting chaired by President William Ruto on Tuesday, the executive body said the move would help to cushion vulnerable households and children across the nation.

“The Cabinet also received a status report on the ongoing drought as well as the support being rendered to vulnerable households and schoolgoing children through the school feeding programme,” read a despatch from the cabinet.

It added: “In that regard, Cabinet approved the appropriation of a further Ksh. 4 Billion to the nation’s drought alleviation programme.”

According to the head of state, the funds would complement the already existing donations by humanitarian organs saying the move would help to address the effects of climate change as experienced in many parts of the nation and the continent at large.

“The meeting observed that the State’s humanitarian support actions towards the drought were being fortified through enhanced partnerships with our development partners,” read the statement.

“The nation’s top policy organ also considered our nation’s human health situation, as well as the health of Kenya’s flora and fauna, as part of the Administration’s quest to lead the nation to a path of sustainable development in addressing the devastating effects of climate change.”

This comes just as the United States government on Tuesday announced a donation of Ksh.16 billion in support of Kenya's drought relief efforts.

At the same time, the Cabinet reiterated its commitment to eradicating banditry and cattle rustling in some parts of the Northern Kenya region.

“The meeting observed that the task of conclusively eradicating cattle rustling and banditry attacks that had in part been ‘normalized’ by the affected communities as a cultural way of life was a top priority of the Administration,” the statement read.

In regard to the ongoing transition to Junior Secondary School (JSS) as part of the CBC program, the government cautioned school heads against turning away pupils for lack of proper school uniforms.

The Cabine meeting noted that the said learners should be allowed to don their primary school attires.

"The Cabinet considered the progress being made in the implementation of the transition to the Junior Secondary School, which is part of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC)," the notice stated.

“The Cabinet directed that to foster an equal opportunity to all our nation’s children, even where the transition to Junior Secondary School may warrant a change of uniform, no student should be turned away from school for lack of school uniform so long as they are kitted in their primary school uniforms."