Its FOOD we want, Not TALK!

"I am in danger of hunger in my country. Why can’t the Government look at our plight instead of leaving us to die like dogs?" Nobody could fail to be moved by the plea of Ethuko Nangole, 80, as narrated by The Standard, last week.

Neither could anybody with the heart of flesh fail to feel for Mary Chelal as she resignedly narrated the wretched life she has been forced to live, thanks to the drought and famine ravaging huge swathes of the countryside.

Nobody, apart from our ever quarrelling political class, it seems. For as the ordinary folk dig deep into their already impoverished pockets to share with their dying colleagues, our leaders are twiddling their thumbs not sure how to react to the crisis. The best they have done is play a verbal ping pong on the causes — and the available mitigation routes — of the disaster.

In North Pokot, Chelal was quoted pitifully recounting her travails: "We share water pans with donkeys, cows and wildlife.

The animals defecate and urinate in the water but we still use the dirty water for domestic purposes, we have no option," she said, adding: "It smells bad but I have not taken water for two days, it’s the only water we have here."

As the two women were being interviewed, their leaders were engaged in "more pressing" matters in Nairobi. Agriculture Minister William Ruto was busy on the floor of the National Assembly engaged in verbal sparring with Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale. And while at it, sacking top officials of the National Cereals and Produce Board.

On his part, Nangole’s representative to the august House John Munyes blames the Government — the same one he serves as Labour Minister – for the poor woman’s woes.

The Government needs to streamline logistical details so that people like Nangole can get food, the minister says.

What our leaders should realise is that we do not care how much talk and verbal sparring they engage in. All said and done, what we want is food. Period. Isn’t it amazing that with all the machinery at its disposal, our Government is behaving like the current food crisis just hit us out of the blue?

Any intelligent person knows well the whole process of maize planting, weeding and harvesting. And I want to believe that there are people employed in various Government departments with the sole responsibility of tracking this process and ensuring that we have enough grain reserves.

If there was rain failure, what did these mandarins in Government do to cushion Kenyans against this disaster? Whatever happened to planning?

In China, those culpable in the scandal that saw baby milk being contaminated were sentenced to death with others getting stiff jail terms. In contrast, we have sent some fellows from the NCPB home.

Sadder than this callous incompetence is the booming business some unscrupulous traders have taken to, minting millions from selling maize meant for the starving. These death merchants smile all the way to the bank as they feed their children, wives and mistresses with blood money they made while some helpless Kenyans are burying their children, victims of famine.

Leaders must face the reality and address problems facing the people.