The Government has announced plans to provide Kes8 billion to feed at least 200,000 people affected by drought in Nyeri.

According to the Central Region Drought Management Coordinator, Mr Lordman Lekalkul, many families are in dire need of food as the situation is expected to prolong to mid-2023.

However, Lekalkul revealed that the drought is not expected to end anytime soon citing that even with the March-April rains seasons after the meteorological department warned of the reduction of the rains.

The areas hit by drought in Nyeri County include; Mathira West, Kieni East, Mathira East, and Kieni West.

Additionally, NDMA has received Kes5 million from World Vision apart from the government's intervention with Kes 3.5 billion set aside for reviving key boreholes in the county.

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The officer has blamed the failed short rains for the drought crisis being experienced in the central region expected to worsen food shortage.

PHOTO | COURTESY: KNA
Kirinyaga and Murang'a Counties are also experiencing the drought crisis with 138,000 and 54,000 people in urgent need of relief food.

Further, Lekalkul noted that 90% of crops of people who depend on rain-fed agriculture did not reach maturity.

He added that even those who were doing irrigation were also affected by the drought because of inadequate water as rivers ran low.

 The number of people in need o of assistance is projected to rise to 4.4 million by October 2022 due to rain shortage according to a recent report by NDMA.

The affected families are running away from their homes in search of food sustainability as a way to survive the effects of the drought.

Children are also dropping out of school with an increase in child marriages.

Kenya is experiencing the 5th season of failed rain in more than 40 years.