NAIROBI, Dec 24 (Reuters) – Faced with a slew of angry headlines about famine at Christmas time, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki said on Saturday his government was providing an extra 2.9 billion shillings ($40 million) for the drought-hit north.

"At this time of the holiday festivities, I am concerned at the situation affecting our people in some parts of the country," he said in a live address.

Dozens of Kenyans and hundreds of livestock have already died of hunger and thirst during a three-month drought that has hit the already poor and arid northern regions of east Africa 's most developed country, residents there say.

But national attention has only swung to the plight of hundreds of thousands who live there -- including many nomads -- since reporters visited and came back with images of malnourished children and plains littered with animal carcasses.

Kenyans, whose economy is the strongest in an area of Africa often hit by famine, have reacted with shock.

Appeals have been launched and media have reported shocking stories including baboons attacking children for food aid.

There has been growing criticism of perceived government inaction and Kibaki's decision to go to the Indian Ocean coast where many well-off Kenyans tend to spend the holiday period.

"HEART-RENDING PICTURES"

But in his speech, Kibaki noted the government had already spent 1.3 billion shillings ($18 million) in the last four months on delivering 700,000 bags of maize and other food.

"The projection indicates that a total of 7.5 million bags of maize and 2.5 million bags of beans and other supplementary food items are required to bridge the food gap," he added.

Kibaki said he had ordered the military to help provide emergency assistance, including redistributing ample food stocks available in other parts of the country.

He urged those who could among Kenya 's 32 million people to dig into their pockets, and also appealed for foreign aid.

Leading Kenyan daily the Nation said money was pouring in to appeals. "Tales of famine at the time of the Feast have pricked the conscience of the nation," it said.

"An avalanche of goodwill backed by gifts of food, water, cash and clothing followed publication ... of heart-rending pictures and stories from the hunger-hit northeast."

Critics lambasted the Kibaki government, in power since 2002, saying officials had ignored ample warning signs.

"How can the president retreat for a holiday at the coast while his subjects are dying because of lack of food and water?" asked recently-sacked former minister Peter Anyang Nyongo.

Kenya has experienced consecutive seasons of poor rains in the last few years. The worst-hit areas are on its border with Ethiopia and Somalia -- two countries that have been hit by regular bouts of famine in the past.

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