A total of 9 counties are currently in the alarm drought stage while 13 others remain in the alert phase, the government has said.
East Africa Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano says the government is now working to determine immediate drought interventions to help assuage the nation’s fragile state.
A survey by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), places the counties of Kilifi, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Turkana, Isiolo, Wajir, Kitui, and Kajiado in an alarm state.
The counties are in desperate need of food aid and require an immediate response.
At the same time, Garissa, Lamu, Narok, Tana River, Makueni, Tharaka Nithi, Baringo, Laikipia, Meru, Taita Taveta, West Pokot, Nyeri, and Kwale counties are on high alert.
CS Miano says appropriate action should be taken to prevent the situation from deteriorating.
The CS however noted that the counties of Taita Taveta, Kwale, Garissa, and Tana River have seen a slight improvement because of light rains received during the last week of December 2022.
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“Satellite monitoring also shows the same vegetation deficit in Kwale, Mandera and Samburu,” she noted.
“The body condition of goats and cattle ranges from fair to poor as a result of long trekking distances in search of water and pasture,” said Miano.
Additionally, the government says major cases of child malnutrition have also been recorded in Mandera, Garissa, Baringo and Isiolo.
Moreover, the drought situation has also affected few non-ASAL counties, including Kiambu, Nakuru, Siaya, Homabay, and Migori.
“My ministry is closely monitoring the drought situation. We are coordinating a multi-agency assessment to ascertain the impact of the 2023 short-rains season on food security. This will inform the scale of intervention.”
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