Red alert: Hunger crisis looms as drought tightens grip on counties

Hunger crisis is looming in the country following the near-total failure of the short rains last year, pushing residents in vulnerable counties to the edge.

Already, Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have reported that nine counties are in the “alert” phase, with Mandera in the critical “alarm” phase.

It lists Wajir, Garissa, Marsabit, and Tana River among the hardest hit, with between 2.1 and 2.5 million people facing hunger.

The crisis is concentrated in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), where depleted pastures and scarce water are collapsing pastoral systems.

In Ukambani, the poor performance of long rains compounded by near 80 per cent crop failure in most parts of the region have signaled bad times for food security in 2026.

In Mandera, the drought situation continues to worsen, severely affecting thousands of residents, with malnutrition on the rise, especially among children under five and the elderly.

In Wajir, at least one school has been closed as a group of Somali nationals fleeing the severe effects of drought crossed into Kenya in search of water and pasture.

On Wednesday, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said the government is prepared to respond to the situation.

“The government has made arrangements to provide enough food to all affected people and to save their livestock from demise because of the drought. There should be no panic,” he said.

Malnutrition

The DP noted that the government will be committing Sh4 billion every month and called on partners to support the efforts. 

“We are asking for increased assistance from development partners and other role players to ensure that the drought situation is comprehensively dealt with,” he stated, adding that the government is also assembling hay, vaccines, and water to avert livestock loss.

In Mandera, according to health department in the county, malnutrition has reached critical levels, with over 69,325 children under the age of five affected.

The crisis has been triggered by prolonged drought and the failure of two consecutive rainy seasons, including the October–December and March-May rains.

The reports also indicate that 56,916 children are suffering from Moderate Acute Malnutrition, while 12,410 are battling Severe Acute Malnutrition- a life-threatening condition that requires urgent medical and nutritional intervention. 

Additionally, 16,872 pregnant and lactating mothers are affected.

Mobile outreach

Humanitarian agencies have warned that continued support for integrated medical outreach programmes is essential to sustain lifesaving interventions and prevent further deterioration of the crisis.

To respond to the emergency, KRCS, with the support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), has scaled up integrated medical outreach services in Mandera North and Mandera West.

The mobile outreach teams are providing malnutrition screening and treatment, curative medical care, child immunization, antenatal care services, and community health education.

“As part of ongoing drought mitigation, 450 households received Corn Soya Blend Plus nutrition support, while emergency water trucking services reached communities through 13 targeted water distribution centres,” the report says.

In Wajir, residents in border areas including Hulugho, Damajaely, Hamey and Jarajila have reported large immigrants, mainly women and children with their livestock concentrating on few water pans that are fast depleting.

Kenya Red Cross posted on their X account said Hifow Primary school in Garissa’s Danyeri has been closed as families have migrated with their children as a result of lack of water.

“Over 120 children who relied on the school for daily meals and safety are now out of class,” posted Kenya Red Cross.

Leaders have asked President William Ruto to declare the drought a national disaster.

“As of Tuesday, we have recorded 120 households who some have come all the way from Kolbio and other areas in Somalia, these are small children and expectant mothers,” Hadi location Chief Noor Abdi Damoy told The Standard.

The area Chief noted that they have documented new arrivals whom he said, are coming on daily bases.

He added that they do not have shelter and they have come with their livestock. Mohamud Adhan Abdi, a resident in Hadi location said the situation is getting out of hand adding that few water pans that they had are under pressure due to the large number of people and livestock in need of water.

“There are no dams or boreholes and the rain was not enough, there are serious challenges for mothers in labour, children and elderly are in worse situations and we are calling for urgent help,” he said.

Mass migration

Former Liboi Ward MCA Hussein Ahmed Bashir called for both the county and the national government for immediate intervention.

He criticized the county leadership and MPs whom he accused of ignoring the plight of the people they represent.

“The presence of NGOs who used to intervene at a such time have not been felt, this is as a result of resource constraints they are facing. The situation is alarming and there is need for concerted efforts,” he told The Standard yesterday.

Garissa County’s Kenya Red Cross Coordinator Daud Ahmed Shale confirmed mass migration of people looking for pasture and water.

“We are closely monitoring the situation doing rapid assessment through our teams on the ground. The situation is not good, boreholes are breaking as a result of pressure and livestock have become weak as a result of going for longer distances,” said the Red Cross county boss.

And in Ukambani, residents in the three counties of Makueni, Kitui and Machakos who rely on rain-fed agriculture are counting losses after crops dried up.

In Machakos, farmers in traditional bread-basket regions including Kathiani, Matungulu, Kangundo and Mwala have given up on their chances of harvesting, with the majority barely scratching their fields to salvage livestock fodder from the failed maize and beans crops.

Peter Kitemange, a farmer based in Kangundo Sub-County, said the situation is so dire, such that many were contemplating disposing off their livestock.

“The crops have dried up completely, and nothing, including pasture for livestock, will be available in the coming weeks. We are considering reducing the size of the herds because failure to do so will lead to huge losses,” he said.

Machakos County director of crops, Francisca Mwanzia said the county government had been briefed about the poor rain patterns, prompting Governor Wavinya Ndeti’s administration defer distribution of free seeds to farmers.

“The Governor deferred the seeds distribution program after an advisory was issued through the local Meteorological Department. As government, we are left with no option other than explore remedies to the impending food shortage,” she said.

The Meteorological Department has already warned the region will experience hot and dry spells until March this year.

Short rains dissipated

In Kitui County, the food security does not look good either, as the short rains dissipated way to early leading to considerable crop failure.

The drought situation in parts of Mwingi in Kitui County has reached devastating levels.

School going children are the most affected, with those reporting for Grade 10 being the most hit due to lack of finances.

Nzaumi Jacob, a resident of Ilalambyu location in Migwani sub-county, says her crops dried up before maturity.

Her son, Jonathan Kathunzi Jacob, is yet to enroll in senior school due to lack of school fees.

Leaders are calling on the national and county governments to reintroduce the school feeding programmes to cushion children from hunger pangs. 

Speaking at Ithumbi Primary School in Kivou, Mwingi Central, Kitui Assembly Speaker Kelvin Kinengo, appealed for food security measures to keep children in school.

“A school feeding programme would not only provide daily nourishment but also help boost school attendance and retention, a strategy that has been shown to work in other regions,” said Kinengo.

The food insecurity is expected to get worse in areas of Kitui South, Mwingi North and parts of Mwingi Central which experienced depressed rains.

[Report by Philip Muasya, Erastus Mulwa, Abdimalik Hajir, Ibrahim Adan and Boniface Kanyari]