Pastoralists in Kajiado County face a looming livestock crisis as they grapple with severe pasture shortages and brace for heavy El Niño rains, potentially bringing floods and disease.

• The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) forecasts intensifying El Niño conditions with very heavy, above-average rainfall from October to December.
• 18 to 20 counties, including Kajiado, are classified as high-risk zones for severe flooding.
• Herders recall the devastating impact of the 1997-98 El Niño, which caused landslides, floods, and widespread livestock deaths from waterborne diseases.
• Concerns include the spread of poisonous plants like Ipomea, disease outbreaks such as Bluetongue and pneumonia, and the potential for mass deaths of newborn animals.