4.1 Million Kenyans Facing Starvation Due to Drought

On Monday, the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) informed that the number of people facing hunger and starvation in Kenya due to drought increased to 4.1 million in June from 3.5 million in May.

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The government agency noted that the drought situation continued to deteriorate, with the majority of those affected being in 19 out of the 23 arid and semi-arid areas.

"This is attributed to the poor performance of the 2021 short rains coupled with previous two failed consecutive seasons and early cessation of the 2022 long rains season," NDMA said.

Six of the affected counties namely Laikipia, Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir, Isiolo and Samburu are in alarm drought phase. Thirteen regions including Kilifi, Turkana, West-Pokot, Meru (North), Garissa, Kajiado, Kitui, Taita-Taveta, Tharaka-Nithi and Tana-River are in alert drought phase.

Acute malnutrition has also been noted across the counties with 942,000 cases of children aged 6-59 months acutely malnourished and 134,000 cases of pregnant or lactating women acutely malnourished in need of treatment.

Over a million livestock that comprise camels, cattle, goats and sheep have died in the regions due to drought, with NDMA warning that mortalities will increase as the drought situation assumes a worsening trend.

Millions of people across the Horn of Africa are facing starvation and death, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and the Famine Early Warning System Network, with the worst affected countries including Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.