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The Isiolo County Assembly has officially resumed its sittings after a prolonged recess, convening in Oldonyiro to continue its legislative mandate at a time when the county is grappling with a deepening drought crisis. The morning session was dominated by a motion tabled by Hon. Francisco Letimalo, who called for immediate and coordinated intervention to mitigate the catastrophic effects of the ongoing drought across Isiolo County. In his submission, Hon. Letimalo cited Article 43 of the Constitution of Kenya, which guarantees every person the right to be free from hunger and to have access to clean and safe water in adequate quantities. He emphasized that these constitutional rights are currently under serious threat due to prolonged dry conditions.
The legislator expressed grave concern over findings by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), which has categorized Isiolo County as being in a critical phase. According to the NDMA assessment, urgent and scaled-up interventions are required to avert further deterioration of livelihoods, livestock losses, food insecurity, and potential loss of life.
Members of the Assembly echoed the urgency of the situation, noting that many households are struggling with water shortages, declining pasture, and rising food prices. The drought has particularly affected pastoral communities, whose livestock form the backbone of the local economy.
In response, the Assembly called on the County Government of Isiolo to immediately establish a formal joint drought-response framework with the National Government, the NDMA, and international humanitarian and development partners. The proposed framework aims to address existing gaps in food assistance, nutrition support, emergency health services, water trucking, and long-term resilience programs.
The renewed focus on drought response underscores the Assembly’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare of residents, as leaders push for swift, coordinated, and sustainable measures to cushion vulnerable communities from the escalating humanitarian crisis.
