Tuesday June 14, 2022
The number of people facing hunger and starvation in Kenya
due to drought has increased to 4.1 million in June from 3.5 million in May,
the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) said on Monday in an
assessment report.
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," said the agency.
Six of the affected counties namely Laikipia, Mandera,
Marsabit, Wajir, Isiolo and Samburu are in alarm drought phase, said the NDMA.
On the other hand, 13 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," said the agency.
Over a million livestock that comprise camels, cattle, goats
and sheep have died in the regions due to drought, with the agency 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 being Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.