This archive report was first published on 18 November 2021.
Garissa County is facing a severe drought crisis, with livestock and people dying of hunger daily.
Locals are pointing fingers at the national government for a delayed response to the crisis, which has resulted in hundreds of deaths since it began a few months ago.
On November 18, 2021, a crisis meeting was held in Dadaab, where local administrators were trained on drought management.
Residents are calling on the government to prioritize drought response over politicking, with many still waiting for relief food to be distributed.
According to the national drought management authority, they have swiftly responded to the crisis by providing food to residents of Bolugho and Ijara sub-counties in Garissa County.
However, residents dispute this claim, with one pastoralist, Mohammed Aboud, stating, “They had to wait until tens of human lives and are lost to react.”
