The Kenyan government has initiated a significant drought relief effort, with Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes, Geoffrey Ruku, flagging off relief food to the hard-hit counties of Mandera and Turkana.

• 2.15 million people in Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) counties urgently require food assistance, according to NDMA data.
• The initial consignment includes 6,600 bags of maize for Turkana, 7,200 bags of rice for Mandera, and 8,840 bags of beans to be shared, benefiting approximately 204,600 people in Turkana and 287,700 in Mandera.
• The relief operation, launched from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depot in Nairobi, marks the beginning of aid distribution to all 23 ASAL counties.