UK's Prince Edward starts Africa tour in drought zone

LODWAR, Kenya, Oct 8 (Reuters) Britain's Prince Edward began a four-nation tour of Africa today with a visit to a spectacular but neglected corner of Kenya where drought has decimated livestock and caused widespread hunger.

Queen Elizabeth's youngest son visited British-funded school, hospital and water projects around Lodwar, capital of the vast and arid Turkana district in north-west Kenya, which has been hard hit by this year's drought across east Africa.

''It has been great to see for myself the work being done here, and I can only hope it will encourage more support,'' Edward said as local Turkana people sang and danced in welcome.

One of Kenya's most beautiful but forgotten areas, the region's enormous Lake Turkana, expanses of sandy bushland, and rocky hills border Ethiopia, Sudan and Uganda.

Already leading tough subsistence lives, Turkana's population of half a million mainly nomadic herders have suffered further from a drought under way since last year, losing up to half of their precious livestock in some places.

Cattle-rustling and clashes between tribes over scant resources are common, especially on the border.

Child malnutrition levels have reached 30 per cent.

''Of the children who are picked up and come here for treatment, recovery is fifty-fifty,'' said district public health officer Chris Lirunde at the Lodwar District Hospital.

''But there are remote areas where nobody knows what is going on.

There, the people are at the mercy of God.'' After Kenya, Edward will also visit the Seychelles, Mauritius and South Africa on a 12-day visit, mainly to promote the International Award for Young People development programme.

FOUR DOCTORS In Turkana, he praised the work of charities Oxfam, Merlin and International Rescue Committee as he visited their projects in short-sleeved shirt and Panama hat under a searing sun.

Britain's Department for International Development is also prominent in Turkana. It has spent 170 million pounds (0 million) in Kenya since 2001 -- including 30 million pounds on emergency aid since mid-2004 -- but is eager to attack root causes to break the cycle of crises.

DFID Kenya head Simon Bland appealed for greater attention from the national government to Turkana and Kenya's other arid regions.

''There are 500 government doctors in (Nairobi's) Kenyatta hospital, and four in the whole of Turkana,'' he said.

''Politically, this area is not seen as important.'' Speaking at his office on a hill in Lodwar, Turkana district commissioner George Ayonga also lamented lack of funding.

''I wish we had more political goodwill,'' he said.

It had only rained twice this year, Ayonga added, both times causing floods as the earth was bone dry. At least 40 per cent of the population depend on food aid to stay alive, he said.

''People in Nairobi say things are getting better, but I challenge them to come here. The drought is still on,'' he said.

Despite Kenya's relative wealth and stability compared to other east African nations, 3.5 million people -- or 10 per cent of its population -- have relied on emergency aid this year.

''Everyone has the image of Kenya as a paradise for wildlife and tourism and so on, and then you see this,'' said Merlin's Kenya coordinator Elena Velilla. ''Almost 4 million people depending on food aid. It's too much for a country with no war.'' REUTERS DKB KN2055