STATEMENT BY MR. SIYAD JIMALE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HORIZON ANALYSTS AND RESEARCHERS NETWORK (HARN) ON THE RAVAGING DROUGHT IN ASAL AREAS AT SAROVA PANAFRIC HOTEL ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 1, 2023.

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.

He added that a delegate gathering held in Kenya for the 63rd Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF 63) examined forecasts for the March to May (MAM) 2023 season and points towards depressed rainfall and high temperatures.

Jimale alleged that most County governments that are worst hit by drought were doing misplaced development projects including construction of palatial offices, renovations and other projects that are not helping the people affected by drought and victims of food insecurity at the moment.

“The 4.5 million people facing serious food insecurity is not just a number that the government can just turn a blind eye and continue with other programs,” expressed Jimale.

He maintained that all the indicators are showing the situation in pastoral counties is really worsening and there is need for a serious intervention, at whatever cost and called on the President to declare drought as a national disaster.