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You were sacked as DO for stealing relief food – DP Kindiki mocks politician in showdown over drought
11th February, 2026 03:24 PM
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has unleashed his claws in a fierce face-off with politicians who have been criticising the government’s response to drought in the country.
Kindiki trailed his guns on a politician who he claimed was sacked as a District Officer (DO) for stealing food meant for drought relief, but has now turned into a fierce advocate and a vocal critic of the government’s handling of the drought in the country.
In a statement posted on his social media accounts on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, Kindiki called out the politician whom he did not name, linking him to the theft of relief food.
“You were sacked as a District Officer (DO) for stealing food meant for drought relief,” Kindiki stated.
According to Kindiki, the politician in question stole from people in the same situation that the politician has been vocal about.
The DP added that based on this, the politician in question lacks the moral authority to criticise drought mitigation measures, having stolen from people in need.
“You have no moral authority to give lectures on drought mitigation,” Kindiki added.
The worsening drought crisis has affected more than 23 counties already affected with the Kenya Red Cross noting that the situation is deteriorating rapidly due to 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,” Kenya Red Cross Secretary General Ahmed Idris said in a statement on January 28, 2026.
Kenya’s drought response fails families
Kenya’s drought response has been consistent in failing families in need, going by trends over the years.
The ongoing drought has exposed how infrastructure gaps and a lack of action from concerned parties still leave too many communities thirsting for life’s most basic resource.
Kenya has early-warning systems to monitor rainfall, vegetation, livestock health, and climate patterns, which are designed to provide a warning of droughts.
In theory, these alerts should give communities and authorities time to prepare, but the reality, going by the trend over the years, is that the warnings are often ignored or are met with delays in taking action that sees the situation turn into a crisis.
Official strategies exist, but gaps in funding, logistics, and implementation leave families vulnerable as essential interventions such as food distribution, water trucking, or cash support arrives arrive too little too late.
