USAID/OFDA ASSESSMENT OF KENYA'S SAMBURU

UNCLAS NAIROBI 002174 SIPDIS AIDAC SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/E, EPRATT USAID/W FOR AA/DCHA, WGARVELINK, LROGERS DCHA/OFDA FOR GGOTTLIEB, PMORRIS, CGOTTSCHALK, KCHANNELL DCHA/FFP FOR JDWORKEN, PMOHAN, DNELSON AFR/EA FOR JBORNS, JESCALONA USUN FOR EMALY ADDIS ABABA FOR JAUGSBURGER BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER ROME FOR FODAG GENEVA FOR NKYLOH NSC FOR JMELINE, TSHORTLEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID SO KE ET SUBJECT: USAID/OFDA ASSESSMENT OF KENYA'S SAMBURU DISTRICT Summary ¶1. Consistent rains over the past month have improved pasture and natural water points that are critical to the largely pastoralist population in Kenya's Samburu District. However, according to district officials, ethnic conflict and cattle theft have displaced an estimated 20,000 people in the western part of the district, impeding humanitarian recovery after several months of dry conditions. In addition, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) reports that malnutrition rates in Samburu are above emergency levels, and the local health care infrastructure is under resourced. Limited access to water in sufficient quantities for livestock and residents continues to hamper communities' livelihoods and developmental progress. USAID/OFDA has provided USD 792,000 to UNICEF for health, nutrition, and water activities, and recommends that a portion of these funds target emergency nutrition, health, and water improvements in Samburu District. End Summary. Current Situation ¶2. Samburu District is located in arid northwestern Kenya and mostly comprised of Massai and Samburu pastoralists, whose livelihoods depend on raising cattle and goats. Twenty percent of the district's population engage in farming, and agriculture is concentrated in the western highland areas where corn and sorghum are commonly grown. Last season short rains were poor in the district and local officials estimate that at least 20 percent of livestock perished as a result of the dry conditions. USAID supports general distributions to 63,000 food insecure people out of a total district population of 169,000, through the UN World Food program (WFP),and nutrition, immunization, and primary health care through UNICEF. ¶3. Samburu District is included in the Government of Kenya's (GOK) February 2006 Humanitarian Appeal for the drought emergency. USAID/OFDA Regional Advisor and Information Officer traveled to Samburu on May 9 and 10 to assess conditions in the district. The team was accompanied by International Medical Corps' Country Director and a representative from the Arid Lands Resource Management Project (ALRMP),the GOK's early warning office. ¶4. Rains have fallen regularly in the district since mid-April, with parts of Samburu receiving 300 percent of normal rain levels for April, according to the USAID-supported Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) and US Geological Survey. The USAID team noted that pasture is prevalent and natural water points are providing water for livestock and people. The Arid Lands Office reported water tankering activity has mostly been curtailed since the rains began. The team saw several natural water pans with water being used by livestock. ¶5. Attacks from the neighboring Pokot tribes coincided with the start of rainfall in April. According to district officials, raiding parties from West Pokot District have been responsible for the theft of several hundred cattle in Samburu and the death of an unconfirmed number of residents. Local authorities attribute the attacks to "restocking" of cattle by pastoralists who lost a significant number of animals during the recent dry period. ¶6. District officials report that growing insecurity has forced an estimated 20,000 Samburu residents from their homes into the urban areas of Maralal and Kisimo. Although temporary shelters were seen by the assessment team, numbers were far below what would be needed to accommodate government estimates of 20,000 people displaced. The Arid Lands Office claimed that a majority of the displaced had moved in with relatives. District police and GOK military have recently launched a campaign in the area to confiscate weapons in order to reduce the violence. ¶7. The displacement is said to be slowing Samburu's recovery process following several months of drought conditions. The majority of those affected by insecurity live in the agricultural western areas of the district, and the violence is preventing them from planting and tending agricultural fields normally planted during the current long rain planting season. Health and Nutrition Situation ¶8. In late March, UNICEF and the GOK Ministry of Health (MOH) completed a nutritional assessment in the district, which found 19.2 percent global acute malnutrition (GAM) and 2.3 percent severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children under five. Moreover, high rates of stunting (23.5 percent) among the under five population indicated an extended period of under nutrition. ¶9. The team visited health facilities in the district capital of Maralal town, and in rural areas, where the major morbidities for children are malaria, upper respiratory infections, and diarrheal diseases. The Samburu District Public Health Nurse reported that latrine coverage is a low 5 percent and estimated immunization rates of 76 percent. ¶10. The assessment team found only two children in the Maralal District hospital being treated for malnutrition, and both cases were referrals from the rural areas. The hospital had no trend data; however, the Public Health Nurse stated that they were treating an average of 10 to 12 cases per month. Hospital staff suspected that many malnourished children in the rural areas remain undetected because parents do not recognize signs of malnutrition and only bring children in for treatment when other symptoms develop. The nurse concluded that better outreach and education are needed regarding malnutrition. ¶11. According to the Public Health Nurse, it is normal to have an increase in malnutrition at this time of year, but noted that the situation is worse this year. Thus far, there have been no deaths due to malnutrition. The USAID team observed that treatment protocols and medical supplies were in place at the hospital, which did not appear to be overwhelmed. However, hospital staff stated that deliveries of medicines from the Federal MOH are supposed to occur monthly, but are irregular. The team visited two rural health posts and found no malnourished children. Continuing Water Shortages ¶12. The lack of water was highlighted by local government and beneficiaries as the major contributor to a decline in humanitarian indicators. In the eastern lowlands of the district, many communities rely on tankered water from the government for the majority of the year. Several boreholes visited by the team were inactive, and Arid Lands estimated that only 50 percent of the district's 47 boreholes are fully functional. The GOK has drilled several new boreholes in the east; however, it does not appear that funds are available to complete the projects with pumps, generators, or a distribution system. The Arid lands Officer reported that the budget for water rehabilitation was limited to approximately USD 1,500 per community, or enough to continue water tankering. Conclusions/Recommendations ¶13. Although rains have improved the situation in Samburu District, livestock and human populations will need time to recover from several months of extremely dry conditions. General distributions of food rations to the most-affected residents should continue through July, or until the end of the current rain season. The Arid Lands Office appealed to the GOK's Kenya Food Security Steering Group to increase the number of food aid beneficiaries from 63,000 to 120,000; however, no answer has yet been given. ¶14. Conflict and animal theft have disrupted normal planting activity and could reduce the harvest from this year's long rain planting season. Although ethnic conflict and theft of animals is a traditional occurrence, it appears to be more acute this year. The local police and military need to restore order quickly to allow those displaced to return home and resume their livelihoods. ¶15. Although there are seasonal rains twice a year in the eastern portion of the district, communities do little to harvest rainwater and continue to depend on water tankering for survival. Boreholes are critical to the area during the two seasonal dry periods. Several of the boreholes in Samburu are either incomplete or dilapidated and may not be productive during the next dry season. Local government has few resources to maintain the water infrastructure. ¶16. Access to water could be improved through support for rehabilitation of boreholes and rainwater harvesting schemes targeting rural health posts and schools through international NGOs working in the district. In addition, improvement of nutrition status depends upon continued distributions from WFP, and targeted supplementary feeding programs from UNICEF. USAID/OFDA has provided USD 792,000 to UNICEF for health, nutrition, and water activities, a portion of which will support activities in Samburu District. USAID/OFDA will continue to monitor the humanitarian situation in the district. BELLAMY