Do more to minimise adverse effects of drought

It is quite galling that 1.3 million Kenyans in 12 counties are facing starvation owing to drought when more could have been done to mitigate against its effects. It has been reported that in counties such as Garissa, Wajir and Mandera, there hasn’t been proper rainfall for more than a year, yet little has been done to develop adequate water sources even though opportunities exist to exploit ground water aquifers.

And that is why pastoralists in northern Kenya have lost more than 100,000 head of cattle. To compound the problem, their herds have been weakened by hunger and so their stocks can only be sold at a throwaway price.