Kenya Receives 30 Tons Of Relief Food From UAE For Drought-Hit North Eastern Region
The Kenya Red Cross Society recently warned that eight counties are in a critical phase, with worsening nutrition indicators, especially among children.
By Staff Writer
Kenya has received a 30-ton consignment of humanitarian relief food from the United Arab Emirates to support drought-affected communities in the North Eastern region, officials said Tuesday.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale received the shipment, describing it as timely support for households facing prolonged drought and deepening food insecurity.
The consignment, largely comprising dates, will be distributed through the Kenya Red Cross Society to vulnerable families in the hardest-hit counties.
Duale said the relief will prioritise communities in arid and semi-arid areas affected by successive failed rains and declining livestock production.
The donation forms part of the UAE’s broader humanitarian outreach during the holy month of Ramadhan, when demand for essential food supplies typically rises among low-income households.
He was joined at the handover ceremony by UAE Head of Consular Affairs and International Services Osama Abuseem, Kenya Red Cross Secretary General Ahmed Idris and SUPKEM regional coordinator Adan Ibrahim.
Officials said continued humanitarian partnerships are necessary as climate-related shocks place increasing pressure on drought-prone regions.
The Kenya Red Cross Society recently warned that eight counties are in a critical phase marked by severe deterioration in nutrition, particularly among children.
The affected counties include Mandera, Turkana, Samburu, Garissa, Isiolo and parts of Marsabit, West Pokot and Baringo.
Wajir, Tana River and sections of West Pokot are classified in a serious phase, with needs expected to rise without sustained support.
The agency estimates that more than two million people across Kenya are facing food insecurity, including about 784,000 children affected by malnutrition.
Nearly 300,000 households lack adequate food supplies as prolonged dry conditions continue to undermine livelihoods.
Reduced rainfall has weakened livestock, lowered milk production and forced animals to travel longer distances for water and pasture.
The crisis follows three consecutive failed rainy seasons, worsening vulnerability across arid and semi-arid lands.
In Mandera County, authorities have launched relief food distribution targeting 40,000 vulnerable households as drought conditions intensify.
Governor Mohamed Khalif said the initiative seeks to cushion families hardest hit and safeguard livelihoods amid the ongoing dry spell.
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