Marsabit County is facing a worsening hunger crisis as residents struggle with the effects of prolonged drought. Local leaders are now calling on both government agencies and humanitarian organizations to step in and provide much-needed relief before the situation escalates further.
During a recent relief food distribution event in Maikona location, North Horr MP Wario Guyo expressed deep concern over the fate of his constituents. He emphasized that unless more food aid is delivered, lives would be at serious risk. The food distribution was part of a Ramadan Relief Foodpack initiative that provided essentials such as rice, wheat flour, cooking oil, tea leaves, and salt to 4,000 beneficiaries.
The prolonged drought has devastated local livelihoods, particularly for pastoralist communities who depend on livestock for sustenance. Many families have been pushed into extreme poverty after losing their animals to the harsh climatic conditions, leaving them without a reliable source of food and income.
The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) has also raised alarm over the deteriorating situation. NDMA CEO Hared Adan, during a visit to Sololo and Moyale last week, launched a new water borehole and three military water bowsers to help alleviate water shortages in the region. He noted that drought conditions across 23 arid and semi-arid counties in Kenya are approaching the alert phase, warning that if the anticipated March-April rains fail, the humanitarian crisis could worsen significantly.
Local leaders and humanitarian agencies are urging the national government and international partners to scale up intervention efforts. Immediate relief food distribution, water provision, and livestock restocking programs have been recommended as urgent measures to prevent starvation and further economic distress in affected communities.
In response to the crisis, various organizations have already started providing emergency aid, but the need remains immense. Calls for sustainable solutions, including climate adaptation programs and long-term water infrastructure investments, are growing louder to prevent recurrent hunger crises in Marsabit and other drought-prone regions.
As the hunger crisis intensifies, leaders are emphasizing that timely intervention is crucial to saving lives and restoring dignity to affected communities. The coming weeks will be critical in determining the severity of the situation, especially if expected rains do not provide the necessary relief.
