Nyeri County has committed Sh11 million towards purchasing relief food as the number of residents affected by the ongoing drought continues to rise. Governor Mutahi Kahiga announced the intervention after new county data showed that more than 55,000 people are facing acute food shortages, with Kieni East and Kieni West recording the highest levels of distress. While the county has already received consignments of rice and beans from the national government, Kahiga warned that the support remains far below what is needed as the drought deepens.
The situation has been aggravated by the failure of four consecutive rainy seasons, with forecasts indicating the likelihood of a fifth poor season. Speaking during the unveiling of the County Famine Relief Coordination Committee—co-chaired by Kahiga and Nyeri County Commissioner Mohammed Barre—the governor said the team will oversee the receipt and distribution of humanitarian assistance across all affected areas. The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) has also intensified its response, sourcing dairy meal for more than 30,000 livestock at risk of starvation and preparing vaccinations for thousands of animals. NDMA county coordinator Lordman Lekalkuli noted that the agency is working with partners to provide water, livestock feed, and emergency services, but warned that the number of affected households could surge past 100,000 once a new assessment includes residents in Mukurwe-ini, parts of Mathira, and informal settlements in Nyeri town.
Humanitarian agencies and county officials say Nyeri has now entered the alert phase, with food and pasture shortages becoming increasingly severe. Several areas in Kieni—including Mugunda, Gatarakwa, Githima, Lusoi and Thegu—have been identified as hotspots requiring urgent intervention. NDMA is also exploring rolling out cash transfers to help vulnerable households purchase food as stocks diminish and prices rise. As the county mobilizes emergency assistance, leaders are calling for long-term solutions, including improved water infrastructure and climate-resilient interventions, to buffer communities from recurring droughts that have become more frequent in recent years.