Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has placed 23 counties on high alert, confirming that the government is now in full emergency mode as a biting drought ravages the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), with a warning that devastating floods may follow.

Speaking from the scorched earth of Mandera, where he led a relief food distribution exercise, CS Ruku revealed the grim reality facing over 2.3 million Kenyans. The government is currently feeding these 23 counties on a monthly basis, a logistical behemoth that underscores the severity of the crisis. Ruku’s presence on the ground was designed to send two messages: that the state has not forgotten the North, and that any official found stealing relief food will face "the full force of the law."

The Double Tragedy

Ruku laid out a chilling climate prognosis. "We are dealing with drought at the moment," he stated, "but in another couple of months, we will be dealing with floods." This cycle of disaster—parched earth unable to absorb sudden heavy rains—threatens to wipe out the little resilience remaining in these communities. The government’s strategy is now a race to distribute food and water before the roads become impassable swamps.

• Zero Tolerance on Diversion: The CS issued a stern warning to local administrators and cartels often accused of diverting relief supplies. By sharing his personal number for whistleblowing, Ruku is attempting to bypass the corrupt bureaucratic layers that often strangle aid delivery. "This food is not for sale," he declared.
• Infrastructure Deficit: The crisis has exposed the lack of long-term water infrastructure. Ruku pledged the construction of water pans and dams to harvest the coming floodwaters, admitting that the current reliance on rain-fed systems is a death sentence for the region’s economy.
• The Scope of Hunger: From Tana River to Turkana, the drought has decimated livestock herds, the primary bank account of pastoralists. The government’s relief program is now the only barrier between these communities and starvation.

A Nation on the Brink

The scale of the intervention—feeding half the country’s counties monthly—is a staggering drain on the exchequer, but a necessary one. Ruku’s tour highlights the fragility of Kenya’s food security. The images of dried riverbeds in Mandera are a stark contrast to the lush highlands, reminding the nation of the deep inequality in climate vulnerability.

As the clouds gather for the predicted rains, the relief is mixed with dread. CS Ruku’s team is preparing for the next phase of the disaster, knowing that in the ASALs, water is both the saviour and the destroyer. The government’s capacity to manage this transition from famine to flood will be the ultimate test of its disaster management machinery.