2.1 million Kenyans starving to death as disastrous drought continues

More than 2.1 million people in Kenya are facing starvation following two years of poor rainfall, the COVID-19 pandemic and an outbreak of desert locusts, according to the latest report by the country's National Drought Management Authority (NDMA).

The central square in Turkana County is full of famished villagers eying a single truck loaded with multiple plastic cans of cooking oil, maize flour and other assorted cooking items.

Unpredictable weather patterns have made it difficult for humanitarian aid organizations to help.

"It's extremely hot, it's extremely dry, there is no water, there is no food, there is no pasture for their animals, so this makes it difficult for them as a community," says Annette Msabeni, Deputy Secretary General, Red Cross Kenya.

The NDMA report said with the coming October-December rainy season forecast to be below normal, the situation was only going to get worse.

By the end of 2021 up to 2.4 million people could be affected, it reported.