Mandera and Marsabit counties are severely hit by drought, endangering residents' lives and livestock due to water and pasture shortages. Mandera Commissioner James Chacha states the situation is worsening, with about 300,000 people affected. The county government is distributing water but demands exceed available resources.
Mandera and Marsabit counties face the greatest risks from drought, where the land has dried up and water sources have diminished. This condition causes bushes to wither and livestock to perish amid intense heat. The most affected areas in Mandera include North, Central, Lafey, and West, according to Commissioner James Chacha.
The number of affected people has reached 300,000 and continues to rise due to failed rains and depleted pastures. Chacha stated, “The drought is frightening. There is a need for sustainable strategies to save human and livestock lives.” The county government supplies water to 299 stations, but this falls short. Families lack milk and purchasing power as livestock travel far for grazing.
To obtain water, residents pay Sh25,000 to hire a 10,000-liter lorry, a heavy burden for many who have lost their herds. In villages like Awara, vegetation has dried up, forcing people to travel to Rhamu, 10 kilometers away, weekly to buy feed. This has turned markets into sites of exploitation, with former secure border posts now paths of despair.
