Govt Disburses Ksh6 Billion to Fight Drought in Northern Kenya

The government has confirmed it has disbursed funds to the north-eastern region in efforts to curb urgent threats of drought affecting the area.

Announcing the development on Wednesday, January 14, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki noted that the government has made arrangements to ensure enough food is available for all Kenyans, especially in the arid and semi-arid areas.

He said the government had disbursed more than KSh 6 million in two phases toward drought mitigation and appealed to Kenyans to stay calm as efforts to address the crisis are stepped up.

“During the holiday season, towards the end of December, the treasury released ksh2.5 billion to the special programs department. Last week, another ksh3.5 billion was released,” Kindiki stated.

“I want to assure every Kenyan that there is no need to panic. This is something that will affect the country in the short term but the government has made arrangements to make sure that we provide enough food and also to save their livestock,” he added.

Drought has continuedto affect most areas, especially in northern Kenya, severely. A report by the Kenya Red Cross Society revealed that in Rhamu Sub-County in Mandera County, over 70 livestock had perished from the droughts, highlighting high needs for intervention.

Citing acute water shortages, the Red Cross provided 28,000 litres of water to residents, alongside other essential supplies, including food.

Council of Governors (CoG) chair  Ahmed Abdullahi said the drought has affected the prices of essential needs. He also says that it has drastically affected pregnant lactating mothers and young children, especially those below the age of five years.

“The prolonged dry conditions are accelerating pasture depletion and limiting natural regeneration. Staple food prices have risen. Key concern is increased reliance on food assistance and increased risks of acute malnutrition, especially among children and pregnant and lactating women,” Abdullahi stated.

The move follows a recent government appeal to the international community for support in addressing a drought expected to impact several counties in the first quarter of 2026.

Kindiki had earlier noted that the government requiredKsh7 billion over the next three months for human-related interventions, including food assistance, nutrition, health services, and water supply, as well as Ksh6 billion for livestock support. He listed 32 counties that required urgent food intervention, with seven counties in critical need.

“About 2.1 million people in Kenya are food insecure at the moment. Weather forecasts indicate that the short rains are likely to come to an end by the end of 2025. The situation may persist or worsen in January, February, and March,” Kindiki noted in a high-level meeting with humanitarian organisations in December 2025.

The 10 counties identified to be facing critical conditions were Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Kilifi, Kitui, Marsabit, Kwale, Kajiado, Isiolo, and Tana River.