Declare Drought a National Disaster - President Ruto Told

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged President William Ruto to declare the ongoing drought a national disaster.

Speaking on Thursday, January 22, Gachagua said many Kenyans living in Northern Kenya and their livestock are at risk due to the current dry conditions in the country. 

The former DP said the government should allocate funds to help mitigate the effects of the drought

“I want to tell William Ruto, please think about Kenyans, your fellow human beings in Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Turkana, Marsabit, Isiolo, Tana River, who are dying because of hunger. Declare this drought a national disaster to attract funding, allocate funds to mitigate the effects of the drought,” said Gachagua.

The DCP leader also said the government should have an offtake programme of buying livestock from herders in the affected counties.

“Let us have an off-take programme to buy the livestock before they die, so that the herders can use that money to restock after the drought ends. That is the job you were elected to do,” he stated.

Gachagua criticized Deputy President Kithure Kindiki for not convening a meeting with development partners and NGOs to mobilize funds to help the people affected by the drought.

"Kindiki should hold meetings like I used to, call on donors, development partners, the Red Cross, NGOs, governors, MPs, and County Commissioners, acknowledge that there is a problem in Northern Kenya, and explore ways to mobilize resources to send there to help our people so they don’t die?" Gachagua remarked.

Gachagua further slammed elected leaders from Northern Kenya for remaining silent amid the ongoing drought.

He questioned why none of them had stepped forward to demand action since the drought began months ago

"These MPs are quiet. They have forgotten the people who elected them into office; they don’t care. How is it that three months down the line, since the drought started, no one is speaking out?" Gachagua posed.

This comes weeks after the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) warned that the ongoing dry conditions are likely to worsen, especially in the northern parts of the country.

KMD advised relevant authorities to put in place measures to avert loss of lives and livelihoods in Northern Kenya.

“The current dry conditions being experienced over the northern and parts of the eastern sectors of the country are expected to exacerbate. Relevant authorities are advised to put in place measures to avert any loss of lives and livelihoods.

“The limited pasture and water over the ASAL areas may lead to resource-based conflicts among the pastoral and farming communities,” the Met Department warned.

On January 17, the Kenya Red Cross said the drought has taken a heavy toll in Tana River County, with access to safe water being a big challenge to the locals.

“Drought continues to take a heavy toll on communities in Tana North, Tana River County.

“Kenya Red Cross, working with our local partner Towfiq Muslim Youth, is providing food assistance to 1,700 drought-affected households. However, access to safe water remains a critical challenge, forcing families to dig deep in dry riverbeds to meet daily needs,” the society stated.