[Additional reports by the Kenya News Agency-KNA]
The Government has distributed 100 camels to vulnerable households in Kargi, Marsabit County, under the ongoing livestock restocking programme spearheaded by the State Department for the ASALs and Regional Development through the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA).
The initiative was launched in September in Butiye Ward of Moyale Constituency, Marsabit County, where another 100 camels were given out, marking the first tranche of a county-wide plan that will deliver a total of 400 camels across four constituencies.
Implemented in line with a directive from President William Ruto, the restocking programme seeks to rebuild livelihoods and strengthen resilience among pastoral households affected by recurrent droughts across Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).
Speaking during the event, Principal Secretary for the ASALs and Regional Development, Mr. Kello Harsama, underscored the Government’s commitment to restoring the dignity and livelihoods of pastoral communities through sustainable recovery programmes.
“In the ASALs, livestock is not only a source of income but a way of life. Through this restocking programme, we are restoring hope, rebuilding livelihoods, and enhancing resilience in line with the government bottom-up economic transformation agenda (BETA),” said PS Harsama.
Coordinated by NDMA, the programme is being rolled out across several ASALs counties to support households that lost livestock during previous droughts. It aims to strengthen food security, boost household incomes, and enhance the adaptive capacity of pastoral families to withstand future climate shocks.
According to a bulletin from NDMA, although many ASALs counties are currently classified under the “Normal” drought phase, the effects of prior shocks remain severe: approximately two million people remain food-insecure, while about 850,000 children under five years and over 120,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women require acute nutrition support.
NDMA notes that the restocking initiative is part of a holistic resilience-building framework that includes water infrastructure rehabilitation, pipeline extension, irrigation expansion, livestock value-chain development, and early-warning systems—all aimed at restoring livelihoods and promoting long-term climate adaptation.
To support these interventions, the government has allocated funds for restocking and drought-recovery efforts across the 23 ASALs counties demonstrating its commitment to the bottom-up economic transformation agenda (BETA) and to revitalising pastoral economies.
“We are committed to ensuring no one is left behind as we work to transform livelihoods in our arid and semi-arid lands. This is about restoring dignity and resilience, one animal at a time,” PS Harsama added.
In Marsabit, the Camel distributions in Kargi and Butiye mark significant steps in the County’s recovery efforts following recent droughts that decimated herds and severely disrupted livelihoods.
Laisamis Member of Parliament, Joseph Lekuton, hailed the initiative as timely, noting that it directly supports households hardest hit by drought. He called for continued Government investment in drought mitigation, sustainable rangeland management, and support for pastoral economies.
Beneficiaries expressed deep appreciation for the Government’s intervention, saying the camels will help improve household nutrition through milk production, enhance incomes, and help rebuild lives after years of hardship.
The event brought together national and county leaders, including Chris Ogom (MCA, Kargi), Lucy Kargiya (Nominated MCA), Mr. Guyo Golisha (NDMA County Coordinator), among other leaders.
