Mandera—Mandera North MP Major (Rtd) Bashir Abdullahi has launched an emergency relief programme to cushion communities affected by a worsening drought in Mandera County on Saturday.
The situation in most parts of Northern Kenya is unbearable. Authorities have cautioned that there will be an escalated situation to near-emergency levels.
The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) has placed Mandera in the Alarm drought phase — the most severe classification before a national emergency — following successive failed rainy seasons and rapidly deteriorating conditions.
Lawmaker Bashir said the response will combine food and non-food assistance, alongside water trucking to the worst-hit areas of Mandera North. He said relief had already been distributed in Ashabito and Rhamu.
“Together with PS Special Programmes Ismail Madey, we distributed food rations and facilitated water trucking, including fuel support for boreholes,” Bashir said in a Facebook post, adding prayers for rain.
The move comes days after members of the National Assembly from the North Eastern Parliamentary Group urged President William Ruto to declare drought a national emergency.
The legislators later held consultations with principal secretaries overseeing ASALs and special programmes.
NDMA reports show Mandera’s drought status deteriorated sharply in 2025 after the failure of both the March–May and October–December rains. Pasture conditions are poor, livestock diseases have spread, and animal deaths have been recorded, undermining pastoral livelihoods.
In December, Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif declared a countywide drought emergency, saying more than 95% of surface water sources had dried up, forcing large-scale water trucking.
About 335,000 people in Mandera are currently facing crisis-level food insecurity, according to a recent assessment.
The National Drought Management Authority has warned that conditions could worsen without urgent intervention.
An estimated 1.76 million people currently need urgent food assistance, a number expected to rise to 2.12 million by January 2026.
Turkana, Marsabit and Mandera are in Crisis (IPC Phase 3), while 20 other counties, including Garissa, Wajir and Tana River, remain Stressed (IPC Phase 2).
Acute malnutrition is widespread, with high levels in Turkana, Marsabit, Wajir, Garissa and Mandera.
Baringo North is in Critical (IPC Phase 4). Overall, 741,883 children under five and 109,462 pregnant and lactating women urgently need treatment.
