Professionals from the Mwea ward in Embu county have raised concern over the increased rate of divorce cases within the area due to hunger.
While addressing the press in the Karaba market, the professionals said many men had divorced their wives due to the challenges of providing food for the family.
Women within the area are suffering the most from the effects of hunger, lamenting that they are being battered by their spouses when they ask for money to buy food.
Margaret Nthamba, a woman leader in Mwea, said that many men are turning on women with blows and kicks when they are asked for money to buy food.
“We are asking our government to consider giving us food because we are suffering. There are no jobs here to provide money for food. The situation is not good, men are turning on us,” Nthamba lamented.
“When you ask money for food, a response is a blow. We need food from the government to save us from the situation we are in,” she added.
Her sentiments were echoed by area Member of County Assembly (MCA) Job Itumo who said that children are also suffering, noting that the famine had adversely affected education.
He said urgent interventions will address the challenge at hand so that the locals suffering can be rescued.
Itumo said both the national and county governments have a big role to play in providing food for the locals. Hee further called for long-term planning to provide water for irrigation in the semi-arid area of Mbeere region so that locals can have enough food.
“We have experienced famine here for the last three seasons, people are suffering here,” Itumo said.
He further stated that cases of crime had increased with the biting hunger.
The county legislator noted that those engaging in crimes are stealing chicken and cattle to get instant money to address the biting hunger.
Antony Ngosi, who is the secretary general Mwea ward professionals, called on other well-wishers to help with relief food to alleviate the situation.
“The rate at which divorce is being experienced here is alarming, it has never happened before. We are calling on the government to provide relief food so that families can remain intact,” Ngosi said.
Sila Mwaniki urged both the county government and the national government to provide water for irrigation in the area so that locals can cultivate crops.
Embu county has over 100,000 people who have been affected by hunger.
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