Drought Impacts Samburu District

One of the realities of life in isolated, rural areas of northern Kenya is the fragile line separating successful subsistence living from natural disaster. Natural disasters are particularly devastating to people living in areas with no outside access to communication, transportation, or emergency medical and humanitarian assistance.

The drought in East Africa is thought to be one of the worst droughts in human history, impacting 7 countries and over 17 million people, including communities and people across the Samburu District.

A statement issued in Nairobi stated that the drought, which is affecting desert nomads living on the borders of Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya, is now escalating into a full-scale emergency. It revealed that 70 percent of cattle, 60 percent of camels, and 90 percent of donkeys have already died of starvation. “Many parts of the region have seen no rain for 16 months, and along with the water shortage, there is now an acute lack of feed and forage for animals, resulting in such huge numbers dying,” said SPANA (The Society for Protecting Animals Abroad). “As you travel into the drought-affected areas of Kenya, animal carcasses litter the roadsides and you see children, with pails in their hands, searching for food and water.”

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is warning that climate change as well as the continuing destruction of forests, grasslands, wetlands and other critical ecosystems is magnifying the drought.

Once nomadic, the Samburu people historically moved with the rains to find water for their families and livestock. Not only did these traditional practices have less damaging impacts on the environment, but they also helped avoid many problems associated with past droughts and other natural disasters. However, this is no longer the case. Not only is water scarce everywhere, but recent efforts to stop traditional nomadic practices have forced people onto group ranches, without outside intervention or support.

The Centre for Lion Conservation and Research is responding to this crisis by providing food, water, medical supplies and other emergency services to those in the most remote locations of northern Kenya, where relief supplies are not available. “We have personally hand-delivered nearly 20 tons of food, water tanks, medicine and other supplies, but much more is needed,” reports program coordinator John Lesepe.

Project Simba mobilized the community and others to respond quickly to assist the people, livestock, and wildlife facing this emergency. Brief but torrential rains in January did little to bring relief to the situation. Flash floods swept away homes, killed livestock and people, and destroyed most emergency relief supplies. A malaria and Rift Valley Fever outbreak quickly followed the short rains as a result of increased mosquitoes in the region. In response, communities were assisted with emergency rescue efforts, mosquito nets, anti-malarial medications, and emergency livestock vaccinations.

If you would like to donate directly to relief efforts (food, water tanks/wells, health care) please visit our Support Page and designate Drought Relief on your donation. 100% of funds raised go directly to food and medical supplies for families.

To find out more about how the LCF partners with organizations working to help people living with wildlife, please visit