Drought in Kenya spreads beyond arid north

After one of the driest rainy seasons on record at the end of 2025, drought is spreading in Kenya. This time, it is also affecting areas that are usually less prone to droughts than the country’s north.

Once more, the rain was insufficient.

The WHO said that the 2025 short rains between October and December delivered only “30 to 60 percent of the long-term average in most areas”.

According to the organisation, this led to the driest season on record since 1981 in parts of eastern Kenya.

The result is a drought that has this time gone beyond the north of the country, historically most prone to such events.

Ten counties are affected, including some further central and south in Kenya. Among them are Wajir, Garissa, Kilifi, Marsabit, Kitui, Kwale, Kajiado, Isiolo, and Tana River.

These were categorised in the “alert phase” at the end of January, while Kenya declared a drought emergency for Mandera county, placing it in the “alarm stage”.

Among those most affected are herder communities like the Massai pastoralists. Many have already lost considerable parts of their livestock of cows and goats to the drought.

Neighbouring countries are also concerned by the situation. Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda are also seeing their population at risk of food insecurity and malnutrition due to similar weather patterns.