Ethiopia crisis: Red Cross says 14,000 refugees who fled to Kenya face food, water shortages

By  David Muchui

Correspondent

Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

• The Kenya Red Cross has offered temporary shelter, tents, tarpaulins and essential household items.
• Marsabit County government had pledged several bags of rice and beans for the refugees.

The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) says more than 10,900 refugees from Ethiopia are currently sheltered in six camps within Moyale Sub-County. Another 4,000-plus people are integrated into the community, having been housed by relatives and friends.

According to KRCS head of the Upper Eastern region Malik Adan, there is a dire need for food, water and sanitation support as the numbers continue to rise.

“We have so far provided non-food items to the refugees. We are also providing food, Super Cereal for young children and mothers, and first aid, screening children under the age of five and offering mental and psychosocial support to adults.

“We urgently need more well-wishers to support us with food and water. There is also a need for sanitary supplies and more toilets to avert diarrhoeal diseases,” Mr Adan said.

The Kenya Red Cross has also offered temporary shelter, tents, tarpaulins and essential household items such as blankets, sleeping mats, jerrycans and kitchen sets.

He said the Marsabit County government had pledged several bags of rice and beans for the refugees, but this would not be sufficient to last them long.

According to former Burji Council of Elders vice-chairman Mohamed Nane, who is managing Manyatta Madrassa camp, they were relying on support from well-wishers to feed hundreds of refugees.

“It is very challenging for us because we are running out of resources to support the refugees. Some families are hosting more than 20 refugees. The biggest challenge is sanitation and water because we have few toilets at the Madrassa. We also need more utensils, sanitary items, bedding and tents for shelter,” Mr Nane said.

He said the conflict in neighbouring Ethiopia and the influx of refugees into Kenya has hit businesses hard, leaving many people jobless.

“We urge the government and other humanitarian organisations to intervene urgently. We pray that peace prevails in Ethiopia so that normalcy can return,” he added.

Bashir Tufa, a refugee, said he fled Ethiopia amid heavy fighting between regional forces from Regions Four and Five.

“We appeal for humanitarian support because we don’t know for how long we will be in Kenya. Fighting is still ongoing and more than 10,000 Ethiopians have fled the war zone,” Mr Tufa said.

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