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A young Turkana man armed with an AK-47 rifle watches over his head of cattle (file photo): Widespread access to guns hasincreased violent occurrences during livestock raids in theregion. For more on pastorlist conflicts see page 4.©
 
Sigfried Modola/IRIN
I. General Overview
The country is currently facing a food security crunch as a result of the recent acute shortage of the country’s staple food, maize and the subsequent increase in the maize prices. According to arecent report published by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), higher foodprices can be very devastating to the world’s poorest populations for whom food accounts for up to80% of daily expenses. The increase in food prices is expected to push about 100 million peopleinto deeper poverty, nearly 30 million of them in Africa. In the first quarter of 2008, wheat andmaize prices have drastically increased by 130% and 30% respectively in comparison to 2007. Asa net importer of food, Kenya has not been spared. The last few months have seen a sharpincrease of up to 40% in the price of maize flour (staple food). As a result, the Government isdeveloping remedial strategies that will ease some of the burden, especially to low incomehouseholds.A draft law has been published which proposesthe mechanism for a local tribunal. Theestablishment of a tribunal to try leaders whoorganized or funded the post-election violencewas one of the recommendations made by theWaki Commission. Chambers proposed includethe Appeal, Trial, Defense and ProsecutionChambers. An
Institutional Reforms
workshoporganized by civil society criticized the proposeddefense chamber, saying that it overlooked thefact that Kenya did have a working and functionalgovernment and that the country is not in a stateof anarchy. Various stakeholders are analyzingthe proposed structure, mandate and
character and will submit their recommendations to theGovernment.
UNITED NATIONS KENYA HUMANITARIAN UPDATE vol. 4121 November – 5 December 2008Office of the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Kenya
 
HIGHLIGHTS
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Government reviews food situation in the country due to increase in prices of maizeflour 
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Livestock raid in north-western district of Turkana Central results in killings anddisplacement
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Special tribunal to be set-up following cabinet approval on implementation of Wakireport
The information contained in this report has been compiled by OCHA from information received fromthe field, from national and international humanitarian partners and from other official sources. It does not represent a position from the United Nations. This report is posted on:http://ochaonline.un.org/kenya
 
 
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II. Humanitarian SituationFood Security
A severe maize shortage led to a sharp increase in maize flour prices in the past few months. Themaize shortage has also contributed to food insecurity in the country. Various assessments havebeen conducted in the recent past, with a focus on rural populations. Given the current situation,the Kenya Food Security Steering Group (KFSSG) is organizing a comprehensive assessment thatwill inform food security practitioners of the security and nutrition conditions and priorities for response in urban areas.The Government has announced the following measures that will be undertaken to curb thecurrent crisis:
 
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Maize flour price will reduce from Ksh.120 to Ksh.72 for middle class citizens and Ksh.52for low class citizens.
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The National Cereals and Produce Board has been ordered to release at least 300,000bags to the millers for processing with immediate effect.
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The Government has increased the Cereal Board of Kenya (CBK) buying price to Ksh.1950from Ksh.1750 per bag to encourage farmers to sell their maize
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With the anticipation of a good harvest, importation has been put on hold until further notice. At least 1.2 million bags of maize imported from South Africa have arrived at theport of Mombasa. It is assumed that once transported to the warehouse, the maize will thenbe availed to the millers.A lot has to be done for the problem of food insecurity to be addressed in totality includingcontinued investment in Agriculture. The Government has also been urged to review some policiesthat have been blamed for poor production in the country. With appropriate investments, policiesand development programmes in place, poor rural people have great potential to increase foodproduction and are likely to benefit from higher prices, improve their lives and contribute to solvingfood insecurity.
 
Recent heavy rains that peaked in November in other parts of the country have enhancedprospects for food availability and improved environmental conditions. These should in turnreverse the decline in pastoral food security. According to the Kenya Food Security update for November, the rains have accelerated widespread planting of the short rains maize crop and agood harvest is anticipated, as long as the temporal and spatial distribution remains favourableand their intensity is moderated through the end of December.
Current food security conditions
 Livestock diseases such as
Peste desPetits Ruminant (PPR)
remain endemic,while malnutrition rates remain of concern.Acute child malnutrition rates remainpersistently above WHO’s emergencythreshold of 15 per cent in north, northwestern and north eastern parts of thecountry.
 
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Urban Assessment
The Data and Information Sub-Committee of KFSSG (DISK) has just completed the developmentof a checklist template that will be used for urban assessment expected to start in the week of 8December. The main objective of the assessment is to obtain initial understanding of thecharacteristics of food insecurity indicators in the urban informal settlements (slum areas). Thisstudy is prompted by the impact of the ongoing high food prices, post election crisis among other cross-cutting sectoral factors that require analysis. The assessment is intended as a first step of anin-depth quantitative urban baseline study planned for early next year.
Floods
Floods have subsided in most parts of the country. However, affected populations in North Easternand Coast Provinces still require humanitarian assistance. In addition, flooding around the Lakeregion, in the pastoral districts of Turkana, Mandera, Garissa, Tana River, in localized areas of thecentral highlands, and in southeastern lowlands, has resulted in the loss of life and livelihoods anddisplacement.In Mandera, heavy rains that peaked in November and resulted in heavy flooding caused extensivedamage as well as displacement. In Mandera central, 43 irrigation pumps were destroyed. InMandera East, 70 irrigation pumps were damaged and 23 have been lost. In addition, Ksh. 1.5million worth of farm tools have been damaged and 495 acres of crop destroyed. In addition, 167meters of suction pipe and 217m of lined canals have been damaged/destroyed while 3km of embankments along the canals were damaged.Immediate requirements in Mandera include relief food; non-food items (seeds); health outreachand water purification. In the long term, improved water management is required includingirrigation systems, river banks stabilisation, dykes to control floods, dams to capture floods water,rehabilitation and construction of flood gates, 300 spare parts of pumps and assorted farm tools.
Mandera conflict
The security situation in Mandera has improved slightly especially around Mandera town. Aresurgence of conflict on 16th October 2008 between the Murule and Garre clans in Manderaresulted in 38 deaths and several injuries. In addition twelve rape cases were reported, 920families were displaced and schools were closed. The flash floods in October triggered the conflictbetween the Garre and Murulle clans who have a long-standing and deep seated hostility betweenthem.Other drivers of conflict in Mandera have been attributed to development work that was not conflictsensitive, the recent flash floods that displaced the two Murulle and Garre clans into each other’sterritories and the demarcation of district and constituency boundaries that zoned population andlimited their movements. Some of the structural causes of the conflict include unresolvedgrievances between clans, competition for scarce resources and political rivalry.Kenyan military were deployed to quell the violence in Mandera but little has been achieved.Human rights organisations accused the military of gross human rights abuses and the operationcreated mistrust between the state security and the community. A second intervention includesthe Nairobi peace process that involved Members of Parliament from North Eastern province. Theprocess led to a peace agreement being signed on 9 October, 2008. Religious and clan elderscontinue to engage with civil society and the District Peace Committees to support traditionalpeace initiatives in the region, including cross-border efforts to build trust and facilitatereconciliation of affected communities.The Government has also intensified its security operation along the Somalia border initially torescue 2 Italian catholic nuns abducted in El wak (Mandera) in the week ending 14 November.Most local residents have fled Elwak town to other centers within greater Mandera or across into
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