3.4 million Kenyans starving as drought bites

By Magdalene Mukami

NAIROBI, Kenya

The Kenya Red Cross on Thursday released a new drought appeal to assist 3.4 million Kenyans suffering from a severe drought that has hit the Horn of Africa region.

At a press conference on Thursday, Abbas Gullet, the secretary general of the Kenya Red Cross Society said the drought in Kenya was worsening by the day, adding that the current drought had been declared a national disaster by the Kenyan government a year ago, in Feb. 2017.

“The Kenya Red Cross Society has launched a drought appeal seeking to raise 1,044,244,850 Kenya shillings ($10.2 million) to support 1,373,294 people (who are in the alert phase) who are facing starvation due to the persistent drought in Kenya,” Gullet said.

The Red Cross says the most affected are from 14 counties in Kenya with six being at an alarm stage, which are Garissa, Wajir, Isiolo, Tana River, Kajiado, and Kilifi.

“Our appeal is to all stakeholders, local and international partners to support us in mitigation efforts. We are keen to intensify our interventions through direct cash transfers, health and nutrition outreaches, rehabilitation of key communal water points, food distribution as well as animal offtake and slaughter,” Gullet added.