A farm
in Tseikuru ward in Kitui County that shows poor cowpeas crop germination. The crop
is also withering due to failed OND rains/Musembi Nzengu.
The National drought management authority has sounded an alarm on the drought situation in Kitui county after failed October-November- December short rains.
In a report, the organisation says human and livestock face food and water scarcity.
“The November 2025 assessment indicated that Kitui county is at the alert drought phase, with conditions worsening due to the false onset of the October–November–December 2025 rains,” it said.
The report was unveiled during the Towards Ending Drought Emergencies meeting with partners at Kalro in Machakos county.
“Biophysical indicators showed depressed and erratic rainfall, with water source recharge below 50 per cent. Pasture and browse conditions remain relatively fair for goats and sheep but inadequate for cattle,” it said.
The most affected areas include Kitui South, Kitui East, Mwingi North and Mwingi Central.
Kitui county commissioner Erastus Mbui said the situation is being closely monitored.
He said the national government has put in place measures to cushion livestock farmers from the pangs of drought.
Parts of Kitui have not received any rains during the current OND season, complicating the food security situation.
Agriculture and livestock executive Stephen Kimwele said the county is moving to shift farmers from rain-fed agriculture to irrigated farming.
He said alternative livelihood options such as goat rearing, beekeeping, indigenous poultry production and pasture farming are being encouraged to tackle adverse effects of climate change.
The Kitui meteorological services director Daniel Mbithi has already confirmed that Kitui county faced serious rain deficit during the month of November.
He said considering that November is the peak period for the OND season poor rains undermine the possibility of good harvest as crops withered and dried up.
Mbithi said most rainfall observation stations reported deficits ranging from below-average to severely depressed levels in November.
The obtaining situation highlighted pronounced rainfall suppression across Kitui county.
“November 2025, typically the peak of the OND short rains, was unusually dry across much of the county,” Mbithi said.
He also painted a gloomy picture for rainfall performance in December that marks the end of OND season saying it was not any better. He said the rain would range from generally depressed to highly depressed.
“The forecast for December indicates that most parts of the county are likely to experience generally depressed rainfall, while few parts are likely to receive highly depressed rainfall,” Mbithi said.
He said rainfall distribution, in time and space, will be generally poor with prolonged dry spells. Episodes of heavy rainfall are still likely to occur in parts of Kitui in December, he said.
The county Met boss also disclosed that the OND 2025 seasonal rainfall was expected to cease between the third and fourth weeks of December across the county.
A public
water pan in Kyuso ward of Kitui County that did not collect enough water due
to the failed OND rainfall/Musembi Nzengu.
