Severe drought leaves 700,000 at risk on Kenya's Coast

 

Ruben Kitsao picks up his cow carcass at Gandini Village in Magarini Sub-County, Kilifi County. [Marion Kithi, Standard]

At least 700,000 people are facing starvation in Tana River, Kilifi and Taita Taveta counties following a severe drought that has triggered inter-communal conflicts and disrupted learning in schools.

Malindi Sub-County Commissioner David Lusava said the prolonged dry spell has sparked confrontations between farmers and pastoralists competing for dwindling pasture and water.

Six people were injured, while several families fled Kararachi, Kisiki and Chambuu Hawewanje villages after last week’s attack over a grazing land dispute in Magarini, Kilifi County.

Officials from the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) said Kilifi, Tana River and Taita Taveta are the hardest hit counties. In Kilifi alone, at least 245,550 people are facing acute hunger.

NDMA Chief Executive Officer Hared Hassan said the worsening drought in Kilifi has left 15.6 per cent of households grappling with severe water shortages, crop failures and livestock losses.

He noted that grazing fields have dried up while water sources continue to shrink, placing immense pressure on both families and their animals.

“Kilifi is classified in the alarm drought phase and is edging into an emergency phase as water and pasture resources diminish. A total of 245,550 people in Kilifi are food insecure,” he said.

NDMA data show that Ganze and Kaloleni sub-counties are the hardest hit. In Ganze, about 74,000 people are facing starvation, while 63,000 in Kaloleni are food insecure.

Hassan added that the prolonged drought has left livestock emaciated, dealing a heavy blow to livelihoods, particularly among pastoralist communities.

“The government has put measures in place to mitigate the drought through enhanced coordination. We are engaging both national and county governments, as well as non-state actors, to address the situation,” he said.

Hassan added that the national government has approved Sh4.1 billion for drought relief to avert loss of lives and livestock in arid and semi-arid areas. Priority interventions include food assistance, water supply, livestock feed and nutrition support.

A spot-check by The Standard established that many residents are grappling with acute food shortages, loss of livestock and crops and deepening economic hardship caused by the prolonged dry spell.

Farmers and pastoralists said rising temperatures have scorched crops and pasture, leaving animals weak and emaciated.

The region has missed rains for two consecutive seasons, pushing agriculture and livestock-dependent households to the brink and worsening vulnerability across affected communities.

Water pans, boreholes and dams, especially in Ganze and Magarini sub-counties, have dried up, forcing residents and their livestock to walk long distances in search of the precious commodity.

Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Chibule said the local and national authorities have begun coordinating emergency measures to cushion families.

Chibule said the drought situation has left many residents facing acute food and water shortages, adding that the county has embarked on water trucking and food distribution exercises.

She said more than 8,000 households have so far received food aid, while water trucks have been deployed to schools and health facilities to guarantee a steady supply of clean water.

About 40 schools and 17 health facilities in Kilifi have been severely hit by water shortages. She urged the national government to roll out school feeding programmes to keep children in class.

In Taita Taveta, 27,920 vulnerable households urgently require food assistance, while about 5,000 head of cattle need forage supplements and water support to survive.

NDMA County Coordinator Kiragu Kariuki said Taita Taveta requires more than Sh14 million and at least two operational water bowsers to supply water to crisis hotspots, according to senior NDMA officials.

Kariuki described the water situation in the lowland areas as dire, saying it has triggered persistent human-wildlife conflict as communities and animals compete for scarce water and pasture.

He noted that the county is experiencing a prolonged and extreme drought that has severely undermined its socio-economic stability, given its heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture.

More than 10 water catchment areas have reportedly dried up due to frequent fire outbreaks and other illegal human activities, worsening water shortages across the region.

Water and Sanitation Executive Granton Mwandawiro warned that if the destruction continues unchecked, Taita Hills, the county’s only major water tower, could run dry within five years.

“It is an ecological disaster. Ten water catchment areas are on the verge of collapse due to illegal human activities and widespread environmental degradation,” he said.

The County Executive Committee Member said implementation of the second Mzima Springs pipeline and the Njoro Kubwa bulk water project is expected to ease the region’s chronic water shortages.

In Tana River County, about 200,000 people are in urgent need of relief food following the prolonged drought. The worsening situation has left households grappling with acute water shortages, crop failure and massive livestock losses.

According to the County Steering Group (CSG) on drought mitigation, the county is sliding into an emergency phase as dwindling water and pasture resources tighten their grip on communities.

The CSG reported that the severe drought affecting most parts of the county has left livestock emaciated, undermining livelihoods, particularly among pastoralist families.

Water pans, boreholes and dams, especially in Kone, Bura and Bangale sub-counties, have dried up, forcing residents and their animals to trek long distances in search of water.