Horizon Analysts and Researchers Network (HARN) has said that more efforts have to be put in to mitigate effects of drought that is currently ravaging almost half of the country.

The organization asked the Pastoralist Parliamentary Group (PPG) to talk about the plight of their electorate instead of keeping quiet yet the pastoralists’ cries are flooding the Mainstream and the Digital Media.

Speaking at a Nairobi hotel, HARN Executive Director Siyad Jimale said that Kenya, especially in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) counties, has had five consecutive failed rain seasons making it the worst drought in decades.

“According to the latest data a staggering 4.5 million people in arid and semi-arid areas are facing acute food insecurity and a significant increase of malnutrition rate,” stated Jimale.

He noted that livestock productivity is currently on a declining trend, 40 to 80 percent of the total livestock in the pastoral counties migrated out of their resident livelihood zones to neighbouring counties and across the national borders to neighbouring countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.

“The drought migration of livestock from areas as far as Mandera, Wajir to counties of Kitui and its environs in search of pasture has also caused clan clashes leaving at least 10 people dead,” revealed Jimale.