Drought limits over 200,000 people in Kenya to one meal a day

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) – The drought in Kenya that was declared a national disaster after ravaging 12 out of its 47 counties is worsening, with the country’s weather department warning that the dry spell may affect farm production and food security.

Kenya’s Daily Nation, quoting officials on Monday, reported: “Several counties are battling starvation; with over 9,000 people in need of treatment for malnutrition in Marsabit and more than 200,000 others surviving on one meal a day in Kilifi.”

In interviews conducted by Anadolu Agency in some of the 12 affected counties, residents said they are on the brink of starvation, surviving on one meal a day.

“We have nothing to eat. Our livestock is dying every day, but we cannot eat their meat, and the carcasses are left to rot in the sun. Most of the families in Wajir county are poor nomadic pastoralists. We just survive on one meal a day, and at times we have nothing to eat at all. We are looking forward to receiving food aid from the government,” Hirbo Nassir, who keeps livestock, said.

In its October weather outlook, the Kenya Meteorological Department warned: “The month of October normally marks the onset of rainfall in several parts of the country. However, during this season, the onsets are likely to be delayed and marked with intermittent dry spells especially over the eastern parts of the country as earlier predicted.”

The weather department warned the continuation of sunny and dry weather conditions in northeastern counties and the southeastern lowlands may continue diminishing pastures for livestock in these regions, affecting agriculture and food security.

It also warned that in the southeastern lowlands, coastal region, northwestern and northeastern counties, where mainly dry and sunny conditions are expected, human-to-human and human-wildlife conflicts are likely to continue due to competition for diminished water resources and pasture.

People are likely to be susceptible to dust storms, which may lead to an increase in respiratory tract diseases, the meteorological department warned, adding water insufficiency may also lead to acute diarrheal diseases in the affected areas.