Drought conditions have pushed more than two million people towards hunger in parts of Kenya, with cattle-keeping communities in the country’s northeast among the worst affected, according to the United Nations and humanitarian agencies.
Livestock losses signal deepening crisis
Images of emaciated cattle near Kenya’s border with Somalia have shocked many, underscoring the growing impact of climate change on arid and semi-arid regions. In pastoral communities, livestock deaths are often the first sign of an unfolding humanitarian emergency.
Recent years have seen rainy seasons shorten and become increasingly unreliable. Four consecutive wet seasons have failed in parts of the Horn of Africa, leaving communities exposed to prolonged drought. Similar conditions between 2020 and 2023 led to the deaths of millions of animals across Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, with famine narrowly averted in Somalia only after large-scale international aid.
Record dry season worsens conditions
The October–December wet season was among the driest ever recorded, according to the World Health Organization, with eastern Kenya experiencing its driest conditions for that period since 1981. The National Drought Management Authority reported that at least 10 counties are currently facing drought.
The northeastern county of Mandera, bordering Somalia, has reached an “alarm” stage, marked by critical water shortages, livestock deaths and increasing child malnutrition.
Impact spreads across the region
The crisis extends beyond Kenya into Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda. In southern Somalia, assessments by Islamic Relief found severe food shortages forcing families to flee drought-hit areas. More than three million people in Somalia have been displaced, many surviving on one meal a day or less, with children showing visible signs of malnutrition.
Climate change at the core
Experts attribute much of the crisis to climate change. A warming Indian Ocean has fuelled destructive storms, while droughts have become longer and more intense. Africa, which contributes only 3–4 per cent of global emissions, remains among the most vulnerable to extreme weather due to limited disaster preparedness.