Mandera has begun a major emergency food relief effort as the county faces one of its most troubling drought seasons in recent years. The programme is focused on reaching 15,000 households living in urban areas, a group county officials say has been heavily affected by rising food shortages and reduced income opportunities.
The move comes as dry conditions continue to worsen across all 12 subcounties.
Governor Mohamed Khalif said the goal of the distribution is to extend direct support to families who are already struggling to meet basic needs.
He noted that the relief exercise forms part of broader steps the county is taking to protect lives and uphold the dignity of those pushed into distress by the prolonged dry spell. Mandera, he said, continues to face the same pressures seen across other arid and semi-arid counties.
This year’s long rains failed to bring any meaningful recovery, leaving the county at the alarm stage and trending downward. The impact has been felt in depleted water sources, poor pasture growth, and falling livestock productivity, all of which have hit pastoral communities hard. Women, children, and pastoral households remain among the most vulnerable as their main sources of livelihood decline.
Mandera Governor Mohamed Khalif flags off the emergency drought response relief food distribution for the urban poor, targeting 15,000 vulnerable households.PHOTO/HANDOUTAn October assessment by the National Drought Management Authority placed the county under IPC Phase 3, which reflects a crisis state of food insecurity. The report also warned that the October–December short rains would likely be below average, raising the risk of even more families falling into severe hunger.
The forecast points to rising needs for older persons, people living with disabilities, and young children.
Between July and September, about 287,700 people were already in need of urgent support under IPC Phase 3. Updated projections for October to January 2026 show that the number could climb to roughly 335,650, according to the National Report on the Impact of the Long Rains. Governor Khalif said the data shows a widening emergency that demands immediate attention.
He stated, “These figures highlight the gravity of the drought situation and the urgent need for a coordinated and compassionate response to safeguard the most vulnerable among us." He added that the county has chosen to take practical steps to slow the impact of the crisis. “It is for this reason that the county government of Mandera has taken deliberate measures to mitigate the impact of the drought. The food distribution exercise we are launching today is a direct and immediate intervention designed to reach the most affected households across all subcounties.”
The distribution will be handled through the department of social services, special programmes and disaster risk management.
Subcounty administrators, ward administrators and community representatives will support the effort to ensure the food reaches the intended households. The county says these partnerships are meant to improve coordination and ensure the assistance is delivered quickly and fairly.
