Kenya is grappling with a worsening humanitarian crisis as prolonged drought continues to devastate livelihoods across vast parts of the country.
According to the Kenya Red Cross, more than two million people are in urgent need of assistance, with the hardest-hit regions concentrated in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).
Counties Severely Affected by the Ongoing Drought
1.Turkana
2.Marsabit
3.Mandera
4.Wajir
5.Garissa
6.Baringo
7.Isiolo
8.Samburu
Children remain the most vulnerable. An estimated 784,000 children are malnourished, including 194,000 who are severely malnourished, placing them at immediate risk.
The crisis has also left 134,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women in need of urgent nutrition support, threatening maternal and infant health.
About 300,000 households, representing nearly 1.5 million people, require urgent water assistance, with some families forced to walk up to seven kilometres in search of water.
In response, the Kenya Red Cross, in partnership with humanitarian agencies, has intensified interventions across the affected counties. Over 63,000 people have been reached through water trucking, 65 boreholes rehabilitated, and 216 water systems identified for repair.
Food and nutrition assistance has supported more than 108,000 people, including 15,645 children under five and 2,772 pregnant and breastfeeding women, while 5,400 households have received cash assistance.
Despite these efforts, agencies warn that the situation could deteriorate further without sustained support. As climate shocks persist and livelihoods collapse, the drought has become a silent national emergency, calling for urgent, coordinated action to save lives and protect vulnerable communities.
