About 15,000 people are faced with severe food shortage in Malindi constituency.

Farmers in the area have not harvested crops for three seasons because of failed rains, leaders said yesterday.

Some have now resorted to feeding on wild fruits, roots and tubers as famine ravages the remote parts of the district that border Tsavo East National Park.

Well-wishers

Area MP Gideon Mung'aro urged the government, NGOs and well-wishers to move in quickly to avert starvation in the area.

About 2,000 pupils in Yembe, Girimacha, Malanga, Nyamau, Sosobora and Chakama, among other schools, have dropped out to join their parents in looking for food.

Girimacha assistant chief Anthern Mweri Mangi said the situation was grave, and appealed for urgent food supplies. The magnitude of the famine was revealed on Monday during a tour of the area by the MP who had gone to give out cheques worth Sh2.7 million for education, water, roads and other projects.

"Residents now feed on cactus fruits, roots and tubers," said the chief.

The headmaster of Sosobora primary school, Mr Syria Mkweha, confirmed that more than 200 pupils had abandoned class to join their parents in search of odd jobs.

"Most of my pupils are employed as labourers in farms," he said.

The famine

He said in all the neighbouring schools in Lango Baya Division, hundreds of pupils had left due to the famine.

The school feeding programme was suspended last year.

Mr Mung'aro told the affected residents that a joint campaign with the Provincial Administration had been launched to help the starving families.

Jilore councillor Edward Mwanyalu said the situation had resulted from failed rains in the last three seasons.

"We have not had rains since last year in these areas. The people have not harvested any crops since then," he said.