Climate change pumping violence into the lives of Taita Taveta women

Taita Taveta women on a benchmarking exercise at a marble quarry in Kajiado. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard]

For three years in a row, Margaret Mwake’s roughly one-acre farm has not given her any meaningful yield. Even as rain has pounded other parts of Kenya in the last few months, it has barely drizzled in Rukanga, Kasigau Ward, where Margaret hails from. Consequently, her locality has been hit by a drought that can easily degenerate into famine.

The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) has already declared that Taita Taveta residents like Margaret are among 4.1 million Kenyans threatened by starvation.