The number of Kenyans facing hunger is expected to rise to 3.6 million by June.
This was revealed by Arid and Semi-Arid Lands Cabinet Secretary Beatrice Askul on Wednesday when she appeared before a Senate committee to shed light on drought preparedness.
Even with the ongoing rains, 23 ASAL counties are currently facing food insecurity, with 3.3 million people affected.
“Our assessment estimates that around 3.3 million people across the 23 ASAL counties are currently food insecure as of February 2026. This number is expected to rise to 3.6 million by June 2026,” she told the MPs.
The current drought-based classification indicates continued stress in Mandera, Kilifi, Kwale, and Wajir counties despite the seasonal rains, highlighting the need for sustainable response interventions.
The lawmakers raised various concerns over contingency plans by the ministry to cushion vulnerable groups at risk of acute food shortages, including children, lactating mothers, and pregnant women.
In response, the CS outlined several mitigation measures, including the cash transfer programme.
Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua demanded answers on the distribution of the current budgetary allocation for drought mitigation and response across counties. The CS was hard-pressed to provide details on the specific programmes that have so far been rolled out in each affected county to mitigate the adverse effects of drought.
Nominated Senator Hezena Lemaletian also sought to know whether there were any long-term sustainable solutions to provide alternative livelihoods for pastoralists, including venturing into agriculture.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi criticised the CS for what he termed unsatisfactory responses, saying the Senate would communicate a date for her to return and provide clearer answers.
“Clearly, your responses are unsatisfactory. Therefore, the Senate will communicate the date when you will come back to this plenary for the purposes of giving satisfactory responses to these questions,” he said.
