Kenya

10 June 2025

A tree locust infestation has been affecting Turkana South, Turkana county, since early 2025. The pests are destroying acacia trees, sorghum crops, and pastureland. These are critical resources for the communities in the arid and semi-arid land region. The outbreak coincides with a projected deterioration in food security between April–June resulting from below-average rainfall. (The Eastleigh Voice 04/06/2025, Govt. Turkana County 03/06/2025, IPC 21/03/2025)

13 May 2025

Since April 2025, Kenya’s arid and semi-arid land regions, including Garissa and Turkana, have faced rising WASH-related risks owing to heavy rains and flash floods. Damaged infrastructure, stagnant water, and poor sanitation have increased the outbreak risk of diseases such as cholera. Recent assessments indicate that over 80% of schools lack proper toilets. In Garissa, specifically, 59% have no water access, while in Turkana, many rely on unsafe sources. Refugee influxes strain services, leaving both host and displaced populations highly exposed to waterborne diseases. (ECHO 23/04/2025, REACH 28/04/2025, IFRC 25/04/2025)

29 April 2025

Heavy rainfall in different parts of the country, particularly Isiolo and Baringo counties, has caused flooding and displacement. By 23 April 2025, two people were reported missing and around 1,200 were displaced in Isiolo alone. The floods have raised concerns around a cholera outbreak aggravated by poor sanitation and limited access to clean water. (ECHO 23/04/2025, The Eastleigh Voice 22/04/2025)

26 November 2024

Climate conditions have triggered concurrent disease outbreaks in northern Kenya, notably malaria in Baringo, Marsabi, and Turkana counties. These arid and semi-arid regions face considerable barriers to healthcare access, including long distances to medical facilities, challenging terrain, and high transportation costs. Severe shortages of healthcare workers and critical resources, such as diagnostic tests and treatments, worsen these constraints. In Baringo county, the absence of preventive malaria interventions for over five years has worsened the outbreak. The October–November 2024 rains are expected to further heighten malaria cases, particularly in refugee-hosting Turkana county, where health infrastructure is already overstretched. Between 1 January and 3 November, more than 2,700 measles cases were recorded, a significant rise from 1,370 cases during the same period in 2023. Measles outbreaks have been reported in 17 counties, with Garissa county recording the highest number of cases, followed by Turkana, Mandera, and Kajiado. (MSF 25/11/2024, WHO 23/11/2024, Crisis24 26/11/2024)

02 July 2024

Since 25 June 2024, Kenya has witnessed a growing youth-led movement protesting against tax increases and the Finance Bill 2024. Although the President withdrew the bill on 26 June, anti-government protests have persisted. While largely peaceful, the protests have faced police use of live ammunition, killing at least 39 by 1 July according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. More than 30 cases of involuntary disappearances and nearly 600 arrests of protesters, with approximately 360 injured, have been reported. Although some detained protesters have since been released, these incidents of violence heighten protection risks for those at the forefront of the protests. Physical access constraints during the protests hinder the access of aid organisations and ambulances to those in need. Red Cross staff and volunteers have also received injuries and experienced attacks on their vehicles. There are also reports of internet disruptions during the protests. (AJ 01/07/2024, Reuters 25/06/2024, The Guardian 25/06/2024, HRW 28/06/2024) [please keep three sources only]

04 June 2024

In June 2024, Kenya is grappling with a vaccine shortage amid a measles outbreak. The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), measles, polio, rotavirus, tetanus, and other essential vaccines are unavailable in various facilities. Kakuma camp has exhausted its buffer stocks of the BCG vaccine, oral polio vaccine (OPV), and rotavirus vaccine, with current supplies projected to last one month. A similar crisis is emerging in Hagadera and Dadaab camps, where only 60 OPV doses remain. This heightens the risk of preventable outbreaks with severe consequences, including lifelong disabilities and fatalities among children. Frequent cross-border movement and nomadic lifestyles put communities along Kenya's borders, particularly in Turkana and Garissa counties, at heightened susceptibility. Refugees are at particular risk given the continuous influx of new refugees and asylum seekers from neighbouring regions. The porous borders aggravate the situation, with inadequate disease surveillance systems, particularly at the numerous informal entry points along the Somali border (IRC 04/06/2024, The Standard 02/06/2024, Nation 19/05/2024)

07 May 2024

In May 2024, tensions and unrest are escalating in Kakuma refugee camp and the neighbouring Kalobeyei integrated settlement in Turkana West following a reduction in food rations in April. The 60% reduction in food aid has triggered protests in both areas. Media reports have highlighted instances of violence, including a child being shot in Kakuma and another left injured during the unrest. Cash assistance has replaced food distributions, but many refugees express concerns about its adequacy in meeting their basic needs. Without adequate assistance, more than 270,000 refugees are at risk of malnutrition and may resort to coping mechanisms with harmful outcomes, including transactional sex and theft. (USCRI 06/05/2024, The Standard accessed 18/04/2024, The Standard 01/04/2024)