ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna led a group of leaders in calling on the government to immediately declare the ongoing famine a national disaster, warning that nearly four million Kenyans are facing mass starvation due to prolonged drought and what he termed as government inaction.
In a strongly worded statement, the leaders expressed deep concern over the worsening hunger crisis across several parts of the country, saying thousands of families have lost their livelihoods as crops fail and livestock perish.
“We are deeply saddened by the mass starvation and hunger that is affecting about four million Kenyans,” said a statement signed by the group.
“Many more are watching helplessly as their sources of livelihood such as crops and livestock are wiped out by the prolonged drought and lack of government intervention.”
They said the crisis has forced thousands of learners to abandon school, further compounding the social and economic impact of the drought.
According to them, the situation is not merely a natural disaster but has been worsened by what he described as the government’s failure to act on early warning signs and implement timely mitigation measures.
They accused authorities of misleading Kenyans about the country’s food security status by exaggerating food production figures to justify high expenditure on subsidized farm inputs.
They demanded that the government urgently declare the famine a national disaster to unlock emergency resources and coordinate humanitarian interventions.
They also called for immediate food assistance to schools in the affected regions to ensure learners return to class and continue with their studies without disruption.
The call comes amid growing concern from humanitarian agencies and leaders over the escalating food insecurity situation in arid and semi-arid counties, where communities remain heavily dependent on rain-fed agriculture and livestock.
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