The Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims (SUPKEM) has urged President William Ruto’s government to declare the severe drought affecting 23 counties a national emergency, citing a humanitarian crisis.

• SUPKEM Secretary General Sheikh Abdullahi Salat Omar highlighted that the drought is a humanitarian disaster, not just an agricultural challenge, threatening communities in northern and eastern Kenya.
• Mandera County is currently the most severely affected, with river systems like the Dawa River at dangerously low levels.
• The crisis is compounded by crop failures, low agricultural productivity, and rising costs, with a Red Cross report indicating a sharp increase in food insecurity between February and March 2025, deteriorating further in 2026.
• SUPKEM called for coordinated government action, including the deployment of water tankers from the National Youth Service, the military, and the Ministry of Water Resources, especially with the holy month of Ramadan approaching in mid-February.