MP Adan Keynan lists demands to govt over worsening drought crisis
By Lutta Njomo, December 14, 2025Eldas MP Adan Keynan has listed key measures the government must adopt to tackle the worsening drought situation in northern Kenya.
In a statement on Saturday, December 13, 2025, Keynan noted that drought has devastated northern communities at a time when the rest of the country is preparing for the festive season.
The MP argued that the situation cannot be ignored any longer, calling on the government to implement measures to tackle the situation, as more than 2 million people in arid and semi-arid areas face crisis-level hunger.
“The persistent and recurring effects of drought in Northern Kenya and other pastoralist regions continue to exact a heavy toll on livelihoods, food security and human dignity,” Keynan’s statement read in part.
“For communities whose economies and way of life are anchored on livestock, prolonged droughts have resulted in devastating losses, displacement and deepening vulnerability, realities that demand urgent, deliberate and sustained government intervention and relief measures,” he added.
Practical proposals
To address the situation, Keynan called on the government to implement timely drought mitigation measures, investment in water infrastructure, livestock support, social protection programmes and effective early warning systems.
” Addressing drought is not only a humanitarian obligation but also a matter of equity and national responsibility, ensuring that no Kenyan is left behind and that the needs of the most vulnerable are central to national planning and action,” he explained.
Opposition demands
His sentiments came days after the United Opposition called on the government to treat the worsening drought situation in northern Kenya with the utmost urgency.
The opposition accused the government of continued laxity even as drought devastates northern Kenya communities. They castigated the current administration over what they termed as misplaced priorities, noting that during the recently concluded November 27, 2025, by-elections, food items such as beans, rice, and maize were diverted to polling areas to woo voters instead of being directed to drought-stricken regions where families are in desperate need.
“This is a situation that we are demanding urgent action on. As we head into Christmas, Kenya is staring at a serious drought, yet this regime chose to misuse relief food—beans and rice—distributing them to woo voters in rain-rich areas like Kakamega, where it rains every day,” they lamented.