A severe and rapidly deteriorating drought is pushing over 2.1 million Kenyans in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) to the brink of starvation, a number tragically projected to persist or rise by January 2026. Described as the worst in 40 years, the crisis is the result of prolonged dry spells, failed short rains for the October-to-December season, and the compounding effects of recent floods, decimating essential pasture and water sources.
The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) reports that while seven counties are currently in an alert stage, Mandera county is already in an alarming “Alarm Phase”, requiring urgent, life-saving intervention. Parliamentary leaders from the affected region have sounded the alarm over the humanitarian disaster. Eldas MP Adan Keynan highlighted that Mandera, Wajir, Turkana, and Tana River are experiencing acute shortages, with households depleting reserves and facing surging market prices.
Echoing the dire situation, Mandera West MP Yussuf Adan was quoted as saying, “This situation demands urgent action. If nothing is done, people will die. We are staring at mass casualties.”
In response, the European Union (EU) has announced €250,000 (approximately Sh40 million) in humanitarian aid. Channeled through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the funding will enable the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) to provide essential food, clean water, cash support, healthcare, and protection services to over 150,000 people over six months.
Despite this injection of aid, the overall humanitarian effort is severely underfunded, restricting the ability of organizations to act as needs continue to grow across the Horn of Africa. The World Food Programme (WFP) warns that the hunger emergency is far from over, with 4.4 million people facing crisis levels of hunger and almost 1.5 million young children and women acutely malnourished.
For many, the recurring nature of the disaster is a source of frustration. Wajir North MP Saney Ibrahim Abdi pointedly noted, “The Government’s first duty is to protect lives. I don’t understand why we should be appealing for emergency measures when the patterns repeat themselves.” The strain on limited natural resources is also intensifying the risk of resource-based conflicts, further complicating the response for aid workers.
