Why Ruto should declare drought a national disaster - HARN

Horizon Analysts and Researchers Network (HARN) is now calling on President William Ruto to declare the drought a national disaster.

Speaking to the press on Wednesday, HARN Executive Director Siyad Jimale said by doing so would allow the country to get help from across the world.

“All the indicators are showing that the situation in pastoral counties is really worsening and there is a need for a serious intervention, at Whatever Cost,” Jimale.

“Equally the National government is doing little about the drought that is currently ravaging entire communities in almost half of the country, even when the current president introduces himself and campaigned using the “pastoralist tag," Jimale said.

According to the Organization, Livestock productivity is currently on a declining trend.

HARN also says 40-80% of the total livestock in the pastoral counties migrated to neighbouring counties and across the national borders to neighbouring countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, S. Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.

The organization said that more efforts have to be put in to mitigate the effects of the drought that is currently ravaging almost half of the country.

The deteriorating drought situation has continued to severely impact the food security and livelihoods of vulnerable households.

The NDMA in its January 2023 bulletin paints a worrying picture in 23 counties that have been classified as either in the alarm or alert phase of the drought.

Counties on the alarm phase include Kilifi, Mandera Marsabit Samburu, Turkana Wajir, Isiolo, Kitui, and Kajiado, while 13 counties Garissa, Lamu, Narok, Tana river, Makueni, Tharaka Nithi, Baringo, Laikipia, Meru, Taita Taveta, Westport, Nyeri and Kwale are in the alert drought phase.

“According to the latest data. a staggering 4.5 million people in arid and semi-arid areas are facing acute food insecurity and a significant increase in malnutrition rate,” stated Jimale.

The Organization documented that mortalities are presumed to be 203,198 cattle, 584,250 goats, 615,407 sheep and 83,456 camels across Marsabit, Turkana and Samburu Counties.

Equally, the counties of Laikipia, Kajiado and Nyeri recorded 475,363 livestock deaths due to the ongoing drought.

This data Jimale said corresponds with statistics given to the President by National Drought Management Authority and partners.

He noted that livestock productivity is currently on a declining trend, 40 to 80 per cent of the total livestock in the pastoral counties migrated out of their resident livelihood zones to neighbouring counties and across the national borders to neighbouring countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.

“The drought migration of livestock from areas as far as Mandera, Wajir to counties of Kitui and its environs in search of pasture has also caused clan clashes leaving at least 10 people dead,” revealed Jimale.

Jimale further hit out at the local leadership led by the county governors saying that they were having misplaced priorities instead of focusing all their energies on addressing the ravaging drought.

“It is shocking that most County Governments that are worst hit by drought are doing misplaced development projects including, construction of palatial offices, renovations and other projects that are not helping the people affected by drought and victims of food insecurity at the moment."

He added:

“HARN is calling on the county Governors who are busy investing in projects that are not of benefit for the affected people to stop immediately and channel the resources on smart climate adaptation programs,” he said.

“The Pastoralist Parliamentary Group (PPG) and their leadership are also not talking of the plight of their electorates even when their cries are awash in both the Mainstream and the Digital Media. They need to stand up and be counted."