Kenya, as well as Uganda, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, are experiencing a shortage of pasture for animals, poor crop harvests and reduced drinking water availability due to insufficient rainfall during the short-rains period last year.

This is according to Famine Early Warning Systems (FEWSNET), which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The worst hit area is to be central Kenya, with impacts being felt in southern Kenya and parts of Somalia and Ethiopia.

Poor rainfall during the 2007 short-rains season has left southern portions of Kenya with insufficient pasture, drinking water and crop yields.

The northern pastoral areas of Kenya have also experienced a below normal short-rains season, the FEWSNET report says.

While control operations are ongoing following a locust invasion in parts of northern Kenya, the current situation is threatening livelihoods, because of a shortage of pasture and browse for livestock.

Some locations in the area have also experienced two consecutive seasons of failed rainfall.

Kenya is also currently experiencing political unrest following the announcement of President Mwai Kibaki, as winner of the 27 December presidential election.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga disputes the election result which gave victory to President Kibaki by a very narrow margin and he accused the president of rigging the election to stay in power.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown earlier this week appealed to Kenya's political leaders to urgently hold talks to end the riots in which more than 300 people are reported to have died.

All local radio and television stations in Kenya on Sunday evening aired a special joint prayer session for peace.

The one-hour programme dubbed "Prayer for peace, Kenyans unite", involved leaders from the Catholic, Baptist and Pentecostal churches, as well as from the Muslim and Hindu faiths, who converged to pray for peace, unity, truth and justice.

Article published courtesy of BuaNews

[8 Jan 2008 14:04]

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