African artists, activists want end to famine

Artists and activists on the continent have called on African leaders to stand up to the challenge of famine in the region to make the ongoing drought in Somalia the last one.

The activists and artists at the event.     courtesy: Oxfam

The group under the coalition of "Africans Act 4 Africa" also wants Africans to use the social media in a day of action to end hunger all over the continent.

Looking at the famine in the Horn of Africa which affected over 13 million people in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, the group drew the attention of African leaders to the fact to prevent any future famine in any part of the continent.

According to a press release made available to NaijaAgroNet, a member of the coalition, Kenyan artiste, Ms Amani Wairimu affirmed that African leaders are realizing the need to get connected to the youth, hence the group as the face of the youth, represents them.

Amani also said that they choose to use the social media because it's a powerful tool and there is need for governments to prioritize the issue of famine in the continent.

Nanjira, another member of the coalition, said "Africa is not poor, it's just mismanaged. We should be telling a different story of Africa right now. Our Presidents, our Prime Ministers and Ministers, they are public servants. They are there to serve the people. We must remind them that their actions are based on the will of the people.”

The press release also revealed that the famine in the Horn of African has shown improvement but there are indications that there is a looming food crisis in the Sahel region of West Africa of which nations at risk include Mali, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.

With this, the group said, ‘Africans Act 4 Africa’ urged leaders in the region to act as soon as possible to prevent the indications from turning into famine.

"We are Kenyans, we are Africans, we are stakeholders in this," said Juliani another member of the coalition group. She further said that leaders in the continent have made commitment to act and they are there to remind them of those commitments made.

'Yinka Awosanya

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