3.1 Million Kenyans Now Affected By Drought With Situation To Worsen If Rains Fails

NAIROBI,Kenya, Mar, 21 – The national government has now said that the number of Kenyans battling the effects of the drought has risen to 3.1 million with the number further expected to increase to 3.5 million on account of depressed rainfall between March and May.

According to the Metrological Department weather outlook, the situation became dire last year due to below-normal short rains.

During the National Development Implementation Coordination and Communication Committee (NDICC) meeting Monday with Development Partners on the Government’s priority programs and other matters of mutual interest Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. fred Matiang’i said that the government has already launched several interventions to mitigate the effects of the drought.

“A hybrid program of cash transfer and food distribution involving Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and the National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs) has been adopted to expedite access to relief for targeted recipients,” said Matiang’i.

So far, the government has listed 23 counties as those affected by the drought within the Arid and Semi Arid Lands (ASAL).

14 have so far been designated as being in the ‘red counties’ meaning that he drought situation is critical while 9 have been listed in the ‘Amber counties’ category where the siltation is moderate.

Due to minor challenges experienced with emergency cash transfer affecting a few individual in the targeted group, the government re-introduced physical food distribution to all the counties as an emergency intervention to help the affected communities.

63,100 ( 50kg) bags of rice, 62,000  (50kg) bags of beans and 800 cartons of corned beef have been distributed.

Each beneficiary receives Sh3,000 as emergency relief.The total amounted disbursed is Sh677,115,000 in the month of December 2021 and another similar mount for January and February 2022 period.

Another short term intervention the the government continues to implement is the water trucking services as well as the livestock off take program which aims to off load weak cattle.

Sh450 million ahas been set aside for this exercise which is in its first phase.

Government however says that it will roll out long term interventions including infrastructure development that will entail rehabilitation of weather proof infrastructure, sustainable livelihoods that will entail provision of vaccine for cattle and an environment for economic activities.

Also the establishment for early warning systems in drought risk management that will aid response interventions, the improvement of health and education facilities and enhancement of peace and security in some parts of the country that suffer tremendously during drought period.