Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called on President William Ruto to declare the ongoing drought a national disaster, citing worsening humanitarian conditions in parts of the country. He questioned what he described as limited public communication on the situation, noting that drought conditions had persisted for several months. Gachagua urged the President to declare the drought a national disaster to help mobilise additional resources, including donor funding, and to strengthen mitigation efforts. Declare the drought a national disaster to attract funding. Persistently high temperatures have further strained water and pasture resources, worsening conditions in affected areas.

Source: The Star January 22, 2026 19:18 UTC