Several regions to experience drought: Authority
Men get water from a spring in Olaare in Ainabkoi, Uasin Gishu on January 11, 2017 following a dry spell. Residents said this was the only remaining water point in the area and people came from as far as 10 kilometres away to get the commodity because streams and wells had dried up. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
The situation is especially dire in Garissa, Isiolo, Kilifi, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana and West Pokot counties, with the agency asking authorities to be on alert for worsening conditions.
On Wednesday, Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri told the Nation that the government was working day and night to address the situation.
Several regions in Kenya will experience drought, according to the National Drought Management Authority.
This has been attributed to depressed rainfall during the short rains season that occurs around December in most parts of the country as a result of which several regions that experienced drought last year could not recover.
A report by the authority titled “National Drought Early Warning Bulletin”, which contains data collected up to December 26, indicated that food shortage would continue to worsen in the coming months.
This also follows reports from the weatherman that there is no prospect of rains in the country. particularly in arid and semi-arid areas until at least March or April.
The situation is especially dire in Garissa, Isiolo, Kilifi, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana and West Pokot counties, with the agency asking authorities to be on alert for worsening conditions.
On Wednesday, Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri told the Nation that the government was working day and night to address the situation.
He said ministries of Devolution, Health, Environment, Treasury, Agriculture, Education and Interior would meet and a collective statement would be issued on Thursday.
“We have set up a committee to address this issue and all those relevant ministries affected have agreed to work together. We also plan to invite governors from 23 counties which are affected to come dialogue with us on Monday on how to solve the issue,” said Mr Kiunjuri.
