NAIROBI, Kenya- Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has called on the Kenyan government to urgently declare the ongoing drought in Northern Kenya and other affected regions a national disaster, describing the situation as a grave humanitarian crisis that demands immediate action.
Speaking shortly after returning from Washington, DC, Musyoka said the prolonged drought has devastated livelihoods, wiped out livestock, displaced families, and left children without food.
“Mothers are walking for kilometres in search of water. Entire communities are watching their only sources of income disappear before their eyes,” he said.
Musyoka stressed that the drought is “not a seasonal challenge, but a national emergency” and urged authorities to respond with coordinated action that prioritises food security, emergency water supply, livestock support, and humanitarian assistance for the most affected families.
“The scale of this drought requires honesty, urgency, and decisive action,” he added.
“A nation cannot prosper while a section of its people suffers in silence. Kenya must stand together. The pain of Northern Kenya is the pain of the entire Republic.”
THE URGENCY OF NOW: National Disaster DeclarationI have just landed from Washington, DC and I must speak about the grave and urgent situation facing our country.What is unfolding across the North Eastern region and vast parts of our country is not a seasonal challenge. It is
The regions most affected include Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Garissa, and Turkana counties, along with parts of Eastern and Rift Valley regions.
Reports indicate mass livestock deaths and growing food insecurity, with children and vulnerable communities increasingly dependent on aid.
Musyoka pledged to work with both domestic and international partners to mobilise resources and deliver relief to the affected populations, emphasizing that “every life matters. Every Kenyan matters. And we must respond as one nation.”
Humanitarian experts warn that without immediate intervention, the drought could worsen malnutrition, displace more families, and further threaten the livelihoods of pastoralist communities that rely heavily on livestock.
The calls to declare the drought a national disaster started with former Deputy President and DCP Party leader Rigathi Gachagua.
Gachagua repeatedly criticised President William Ruto’s handling of the drought crisis, calling for it to be formally declared a national disaster to unlock both national and international support for affected communities.
Gachagua has warned that prolonged dry conditions and three failed rain seasons have left millions facing acute food insecurity and that the current drought response, including the Sh4 billion fund allocated by Cabinet, falls short of what is needed, translating to only about Sh 1,200 per person, well below United Nations minimum standards.
He has urged President Ruto to act urgently to mobilise resources, provide humanitarian aid, and implement long‑term mitigation measures to safeguard lives and livelihoods in Northern Kenya and other drought‑hit areas.
