Marsabit: Marsabit County in Kenya is grappling with severe challenges due to ongoing heavy rains, leaving thousands of residents in urgent need of humanitarian aid. Marsabit Governor Mohamud Ali has appealed to the national government and humanitarian agencies to increase their assistance, as the number of people in need continues to grow.
According to Kenya News Agency, who addressed the media in Marsabit town on Wednesday, all nine sub-counties of Marsabit have been affected. The heavy rains have severely damaged the road network, with areas such as Dukana, Shurr, Sololo, Moyale, Dabel, Kargi, and Ngurunit being cut off, accessible only by air. Other areas like Parkoren, Badan-Retro, Forole, and Illeret also face similar isolation, with relief efforts relying on helicopters and cargo planes for food delivery.
The Governor noted that many residents have been displaced or severed from food sources, while herders are unable to migrate with their livestock due to the destruction. He assured the affected communities of support, highlighting a supplementary budget before the County Assembly aimed at bolstering current intervention efforts. This budget includes a Sh425 million allocation for drought mitigation, intended to aid affected households and repair damaged infrastructure.
Patrick Katelo, Executive Director of the Pastoralist Community Initiative and Development Assistance (PACIDA), a local NGO, emphasized the urgency of the situation. He pointed out that 80% of the local communities are pastoralists dependent on livestock, now facing a potential humanitarian crisis due to the El Niño phenomenon. This crisis could lead to outbreaks of human and animal diseases.
Katelo stressed the importance of maintaining high hygiene standards to prevent waterborne diseases and malaria. He also expressed concern over soil erosion and loss of farmlands, which are likely to exacerbate food insecurity despite efforts to provide subsidised seeds and machinery for land preparation.
He urged for timely and effective measures to mitigate the negative impacts of the El Niño rains, ensuring that food and shelter aid reaches those in inaccessible areas. Katelo called for collaborative efforts among stakeholders, including data collection on affected households by PACIDA and the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), to facilitate better planning and aid distribution.
The heavy rains and resulting flash floods have tragically claimed the lives of two people in Marsabit County, underscoring the severity of the situation.