Twenty-three counties facing food shortage as drought crisis deepens
Counties
By
Antony Gitonga
| Jan 15, 2026
Twenty-three counties have been adversely affected by drought with fears that the situation could get worse in the coming days due to the harsh weather.
Mandera is the hardest hit while the situation in Turkana, Wajir, Garissa, Tana River, Kilifi, Kwale, Isiolo, Kajiado and Marsabit is deteriorating by the day.
According to the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), the ASAL counties recorded near-normal to below-normal rainfall in December.
This came as the state agency warned that most part of the ASAL counties would experience generally sunny and dry conditions consistent with January climatology.
In its monthly report, the agency noted that December rainfall performance across the country showed marked spatial variability.
READ MORE
Government plans stricter laws to clean up tea sector
Tourism earnings hit record Sh500 billion as arrivals near 8m
Kakamega youth, women eye avocado export cash after skills training
Portable kitchen: Designer taps into space-saving trend
Kenya urged to pilot AI regulatory Sandbox in bid to lead Africa's digital future
MPs pledge site visist as KTDA gives progress on hydro power project
Why Gen Zs are not sending money to parents
The true impact of Iran-US war on the Kenyan economy
KPA steps up plans for expansion of Kisumu Port
Infrastructure, trust key to cities success as Nairobi, Rome stagnate
“Most of the ASAL counties recorded near-normal to below-normal rainfall, and only a few localized areas experienced above-normal conditions,” reads the report.
Other counties that have been affected by the harsh weather conditions include Samburu, Taita Taveta, Tharaka Nithi, Laikipia, Kitui, Baringo, Makueni, Narok, Nyeri, Embu, Meru, Lamu and West Pokot
“Overall, the drought situation continues to deteriorate, despite a few counties showing normal-worsening trends, transitioning into the Alert and Alarm drought phase,” reads the report in part.
The authority further warned that the weather forecast indicated that January was expected to be predominantly dry over most of the ASAL counties of Kenya.
“Large parts of the country are likely to experience generally sunny and dry conditions consistent with January climatology,” says the report.
The report further noted that the nutrition situation remained generally stable in about 70 percent of the counties but deteriorated in Isiolo, Samburu, Turkana, Wajir, Kwale, Meru, and Narok.
The decline in these counties according to NDMA was largely driven by reduced milk availability for children aged five years and below and limited access to diverse diets due to the weakening household purchasing power.
“While most counties reported malnutrition levels within the long-term average, concerns persisted in Marsabit, Turkana, Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu and Meru, due to the high disease burden.
Recently, COG chairman Ahmed Abdullahi warned of major deaths of livestock and humans in the coming months with parts of the country already expressing harsh weather conditions.
“We are calling for urgent strategic grain, livestock and hay reserves following the warning by the meteorological department of depressed short and long rains,” he said.
He termed the warning by the Mets of depressed rains as a major blow to the pastoralists who were yet to recover from the recent drought where over 3 million herds of livestock were lost.
“Livestock has started to die and it's time we established strategic livestock, feed and hay reserves so that every drought that occurs does not wipe out our livestock economy,” he said.