Jittery presidency good for disaster control

The timing of the drought that has hit several parts of Kenya is both impeccable and curious.

It has occurred a few months shy of next year's general election and bears an uncanny resemblance to the food emergency that hit Kenya in 1984-1985.

Back then, as now, Kenya had a sitting President whose hold on the presidency had been shaken and a drought that seemed to affect a large populace inclined towards perceived Opposition zones.

Perhaps it is this combination of facts that became the saving grace of the affected people then, and could quite possibly save the currently affected 1.3 million Kenyans.

In other words, it would not be far-fetched to postulate that a jittery leadership is pivotal in disaster management. To defend this position, I call to mind the 1982 coup attempt and the 1984-1985 food emergency.

The food crisis was the worst to hit Kenya in the 20th century. The production of major food security crops such as maize, wheat and potatoes had dropped drastically. Only the central and western highlands received enough rain to produce maize.

The failed coup jolted President Moi into realising that all was not well.

His government established an inter-ministerial drought response co-ordinating committee chaired by the chief secretary in his office. The committee moved swiftly to manage the food import and distribution programme.

Unconditional relief in the form of free food rations was given to vulnerable households in the affected areas.

The identification of such households was carried out by the provincial administration, which relied on relief committees and local chiefs.

Similarly, in order to avoid providing fodder for the Opposition and to avert voter apathy in the 2017 general election, the Jubilee government could pull out all the stops to ensure that this drought does not deteriorate into a full-blown famine.