Malnutrition rises in Turkana East as drought forces families to brink
By Ascah Mwango, January 29, 2026The Kenya Red Cross has raised alarm over a deepening drought crisis in Turkana East, warning that the situation is putting families, health facilities and vulnerable children under extreme pressure.
In a statement shared via X on Thursday, January 29, 2026, the humanitarian agency said the drought continues to worsen, with communities struggling to access clean and safe water, even in critical public institutions such as health centres.
The Red Cross highlighted Elelea Health Facility in Lokori/Katila Ward, which serves more than 2,500 households. According to the agency, the facility has no running water, leaving both patients and health workers to depend on water transported in jerry cans from Lotubae.
“The drought continues to worsen in Turkana East. At Elelea Health Facility (Lokori/Katila Ward), serving over 2,500 households, there is no running water, forcing patients and health workers to rely on water ferried in jerry cans from Lotubae. In Lokori, women and children queue for scarce water alongside livestock,” the statement read.
The organisation also reported growing pressure on the limited water sources in Lokori, where women and children are forced to line up for scarce water alongside livestock. This, it noted, reflects the scale of the water shortage as households and animals compete for the same supply.
At the same time, the Red Cross said malnutrition is worsening in Nakauron and Lotubae, with children increasingly affected as families struggle to find food. The agency noted that in some cases, children are being brought to nutrition outreach sites by other children, as parents move out in search of food and support.
To help ease the crisis, the Kenya Red Cross Society said it is supporting affected families through health outreaches, fortified porridge programmes and cash assistance.
“In Nakauron and Lotubae, malnutrition is worsening, and children are bringing other children to nutrition outreach sites as parents search for food. Kenya Red Cross Society is supporting families through health outreaches, fortified porridge and cash assistance, as communities continue to face urgent needs.”
Drought crisis
The latest update comes a day after the humanitarian organisation raised alarm over a worsening drought situation that has now spread to more than 23 counties.
Speaking during an interview on a local radio station on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, Kenya Red Cross Secretary General Ahmed Idris said the crisis is escalating fast after the country experienced a failed rainy season.
“It is deteriorating by the day. We have a failed rainy season that is affecting more than 23 counties. We have 11 that we are specifically worried about. Specifically, Marsabit, Mandera, Turkana, Wajir, the usual suspects,” Idris said.
He noted that, unlike previous drought cycles, the current situation is uneven, with some parts of the same county experiencing severe effects while neighbouring areas remain less affected.
“This particular drought has a nuance, when you look at a county, one region is holistically bad, and another sub-county is not that critical,” he explained.
Idris pointed to Baringo County as a case in point, saying that while most areas are dry but not at crisis levels, Tiaty Sub-County is already facing extreme conditions.
He also warned that the outlook remains grim in the coming weeks, with the country expected to endure at least two more months without rain, and even when the rains return, they may not be enough to reverse the situation.
“The situation is deteriorating. What is more is we still have two more months of no rain, and when we get the rains, it might not be good rains,” Idris stated.