Mandera Deputy Governor Ali Maalim has called on the National Government to declare an emergency in four drought-stricken counties, warning that anything short of a massive intervention risks preventable loss of life.

In a statement posted on his official X account on Friday, January 9, 2026, following a high-level consultative meeting with Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary General Dr Ahmed Idris, Maalim emphasised that county-level interventions alone are insufficient to match the scale and speed of the crisis.

“We resolved to intensify engagement with political leadership to put pressure on the National Government to declare an emergency in the four most affected counties: Mandera, Turkana, Marsabit, and Samburu. Such a declaration would enable a properly upscaled and better-coordinated response,” Maalim stated.

Crisis worsening

The Deputy Governor revealed that the ongoing drought is far worse than the 2023 situation, compounded by the failure of the October-November-December (OND) rains and the possibility that subsequent seasons may also underperform.

“This year’s drought is far worse than 2023. We noted that anything short of a massive, large-scale intervention risks preventable loss of life—especially following the failure of the OND rains, and the possibility that subsequent seasons may also underperform,” he said.

While acknowledging the County Government’s ongoing interventions in water provision, food relief, and health and nutrition response, Maalim was candid that their efforts alone cannot address the magnitude of the crisis.

“While the County has acted decisively, our response alone is not nearly enough to match the scale and speed of the crisis,” the Deputy Governor stated.

Livelihood protection progress

Despite the worsening situation, the Deputy Governor noted that increased focus on livelihood protection across key sectors has helped reduce the worst impacts compared to previous droughts.

Maalim urged stakeholders to build on this momentum with stronger, faster, and wider support.

“We remain grateful to all our partners for their continued solidarity and support as we work together to protect lives and safeguard livelihoods,” he concluded.