Pastoralists in Lamu county have called for early interventions to cushion their livestock against death.
Last year, over 4,000 cows and goats died from a prolonged drought that hit most parts of the county.
Lamu is currently among 13 counties experiencing alarming drought spells.
Others include Baringo, Isiolo, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Turkana, Wajir, Kilifi, Nyeri, West Pokot, Laikipia and Garissa.
The pastoralists have expressed concern of losing more animals if measures aren’t taken to guard them from the second drought season.
Speaking on Tuesday, Lamu livestock marketing chairperson Khalif Hirbae said there has been continued depletion of pasture lands and water sources.
He urged the county and national governments to conduct early slaughter de-stocking and commercial off-take programmes to reduce the impending losses.
“Most water pans have already dried up. They should not wait to the last minute to help. This is the time because the drought is still in the early stages. Our biggest hope is that they will destock and conduct commercial off-take,” Hiribae said.
He said in the past, there have been instances where the commercial off-take was conducted late forcing pastoralists to sell their animals for low prices.
“When they do that, we can’t refuse anything they give us and that is not fair,” he said.
The pastoralists have urged the National Drought Management Authority, Kenya Red Cross Society, Food and Agriculture Organisation to initiate relief animal feeds distribution to affected areas.
“We need the animals feeds, drugs and pellets in advance so that we can conduct timely interventions and save our animals from death,” Osman Ahmed, a pastrolist from Pangani said.
Last year, a planned Sh30 million slaughter-to-destock programme targeting over 10,000 livestock failed to take off.
The exercise was to be undertaken by NDMA office in Lamu to avert more livestock death.
Similarly, a scheduled commercial off-take targeting at least 15,000 livestock also failed to take off.
The pastoralists are seeking monetary compensation from the government for their dead livestock.
Areas worst hit by drought in Lamu include include Koreni, Mkunumbi, Bar’goni, Pangani, Lumshi, Kitumbini, Nagelle, Chalaluma, Moa, Dide Waride, Lake Kenyatta, Lake Amu, Hongwe, Mpeketoni and Witu.
