15 schools closed as food shortages bite

Fifteen primary schools in Kenya’s north-central Samburu district have been closed due to prolonged drought and insecurity, the ‘East African Standard’ quoted the district education officer (DEO) Joseph Kikwai as saying. He said acute shortages of food, water and the current insecurity situation had forced the schools to close. In the Eastern Province, nearly 60,000 pupils have abandoned classes with several primary schools threatened with closure, education officers said. Kenya has been facing acute drought, leading to both food and water shortage in most parts of the country. Low water in the country’s main hydro-generating plant recently led to the government, together with stakeholders in the energy industry, announcing a power rationing programme throughout the country. There have also been warnings of a similar programme for water.