Marsabit,Turkana and Mandera put under ‘alarm stage’ as 3 million Kenyans face severe drought

NAKURU,Kenya, June 29 – Brace yourself. The country is facing a severe drought as a result of inadequate rainfall in the last one year.

Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa says that the country is already battling its effects with more than three million Kenyans now at risk of starvation.

Already, three counties:Marsabit,Turkana and Mandera have been put on a watchlist classified as ‘alarm stage’ with authorities on the grounds reporting that hundreds of livestock have already died due to lack of water and pasture amidst growing concerns over the safety of locals.

“We have placed Marsabit, Turkana and Mandera under the alarm stage due to the ravaging drought and we are working with the counties to support affected families,” said CS, Wamalwa.

The government has already moved in to expand the Hunger Safety Network to more counties particularly in Arid and Semi Arid Lands (ASAL) in a bid to cushion families affected by the drought.

Reports by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) revealed that the country is treading on dangerous grounds with fears that more counties could be affected.

“In conjunction with the affected counties we have embarked on the process of supplying water using trucks and we shall roll out the Inua Jamii programme by September,” he said.

Speaking in Naivasha during a meeting with governors from the affected counties,Wamalwa said that the government was keen to stop any human deaths from the drought.

Turkana, Marsabit, Wajir and Mandera have already benefitted from the first phase of the Hunger Safety Network  with Garissa, Samburu, Isiolo and Tana River also expected to be included in the coming weeks.

The cash transfer programme in the affected counties is seen to benefit over 100,000 vulnerable families with the government revealing,they will harmonize the cash transfer programme and digitize it to avoid double allocation of funds

Marsabit governor Mohammud Ali meanwhile called for all hands on deck, including donor support as North Eastern counties combat the effects of the drought.

“Currently the drought in Northern Kenya is severe with many families finding it difficult to get water with Turkana, Mandera and Marsabit being the most affected,” he said.

No deaths have been reported so far as a result of hunger caused by the drought.