Govt disburses Ksh870M to drought-affected families in eight counties
By Cy Muganda, January 17, 2026The government has disbursed Ksh870.38 million to 132,780 vulnerable households under the Hunger Safety Net Programme (HSNP) across eight arid counties, as part of ongoing efforts to cushion families against the impacts of the prevailing drought.
In a statement issued on Friday, January 16, 2026, the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) said the cash transfers target households in Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir, Turkana, Samburu, Isiolo, Garissa, and Tana River counties, which continue to experience deteriorating food security due to consecutive seasons of below-average rainfall.
“The Government, through the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), has disbursed KSh 870.38 million to 132,780 vulnerable households under the Hunger Safety Net Programme (HSNP) across eight arid counties, as part of ongoing efforts to cushion vulnerable populations against the impacts of the prevailing drought,” NDMA stated.
County-by-county disbursement
According to NDMA, the cash transfers cover stipends for the September, October, and November 2025 payment cycles, with disbursements varying by county based on the number of beneficiary households.
Turkana County received the highest allocation of Ksh287,312,400 for 39,838 households, followed by Marsabit County with Ksh151,478,100 for 20,388 households, and Mandera County with Ksh119,350,800 for 22,102 households.
Wajir County received Ksh103,545,000 for 19,175 households, while Samburu County got Ksh65,731,500 for 8,115 households.
Isiolo County received Ksh53,662,500 for 6,625 households, Garissa County got Ksh49,798,800 for 9,222 households, and Tana River County received Ksh39,501,000 for 7,315 households.
Vulnerable populations
NDMA Chief Executive Officer Lt Col (Rtd) Hared Adan said the cash transfers are designed to help vulnerable families cope with the drought’s impact on their livelihoods.
“By strengthening household purchasing power, the cash transfers are expected to mitigate negative coping strategies, stabilise food consumption, and protect basic livelihoods during the current drought period,” the statement read.
The authority noted that the ongoing drought has severely affected food security in the region.
“The disbursement targets households in Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir, Turkana, Samburu, Isiolo, Garissa, and Tana River counties, which continue to experience deteriorating food security due to consecutive seasons of below-average rainfall,” the statement added.
NDMA further stated that the cash transfers form a critical component of the government’s early response measures, enabling affected households to meet immediate food and essential needs as broader drought response interventions are scaled up.
“The cash transfers form a critical component of the Government’s early response measures, enabling affected households to meet immediate food and essential needs as it scales up broader drought response interventions in collaboration with humanitarian and development partners,” the statement said.
Payment and access details
Beneficiaries will receive their payments through their banks, as well as authorised agents within their counties.
“Beneficiaries will receive their payments through Equity Bank and Kenya Commercial Bank branches, as well as authorised agents within their counties,” NDMA stated.
The authority advised those facing challenges to seek assistance.
“Registered beneficiaries experiencing access challenges are advised to contact their nearest bank branch, NDMA county offices or HSNP Sub-county offices to update their details and facilitate timely payment,” the statement added.