Drought stricken residents of saku receive food donation from well-wishers

Marsabit businessman and Saku MP aspirant Abdikarid Doyo addressed beneficiaries of relief food at Dub Goba on February 15, 2026.

More than 4,200 families in Saku constituency, Marsabit County, have over the past two days benefited from relief food donated by Mahaad, an Islamic charity organisation, in a bid to alleviate the dire situation in the region, where drought has wreaked havoc on people and livestock.

The food rations included maize flour, beans and salt. Each beneficiary received 10kg of maize flour, 2kg of beans and 500g of salt.

Marsabit businessman and Saku MP aspirant Abdikadir Doyo, who partnered with the organisation, led the distribution over the weekend and called on the government and well-wishers to donate foodstuffs to ensure vulnerable members of society are cared for during the dry season.

“I call on the government and well-wishers to donate food items to address hunger and starvation, especially in rural households,” he said.

He said he was alarmed by the growing number of households going hungry, pointing out that children, the elderly, people with disabilities and livestock were the most affected.

Mr Doyo said the drought situation in the region remains critical due to the poor performance of the much-anticipated October to December short rains, coupled with three previous consecutive failed rainy seasons.

A beneficiary, Hawo Halakhe, expressed her joy after receiving a relief hamper, saying her family was now guaranteed at least a week’s meals, as they had not known where the next meal would come from due to the drought.

“The drought decimated our livestock and the few that remained had to be relocated in search of pasture and water,” she said.

Grateful for the assistance, she appealed to well-wishers to lend a helping hand as the situation continues to deteriorate.

Community elder Jarso Wario called on the government to hasten the supply of relief food, adding that many families in his village were surviving on one meal a day.

He thanked Abdikadir Doyo, the MP aspirant, for reaching out to well-wishers, saying the donation had brought renewed hope to residents experiencing the harsh realities of drought.

“Many people lack food and some children have had to miss school. The ongoing drought has worsened access to water. We are grateful for these donations,” he said.

Residents depend largely on subsistence farming, which has been severely affected by low and erratic rainfall in recent years, resulting in poor harvests and increased hunger.

Marsabit County Chief Officer for Administration Rob Galma said the county government had begun distributing 12,000 bags of relief food to drought victims to prevent deaths from starvation.

“We want to make sure the most vulnerable people receive the critical support they need to avoid death as a result of the drought,” he said.

He acknowledged that more people require food assistance and other forms of livelihood support than previously estimated, but assured residents that Governor Mohamud Ali’s administration would cope with the growing number of those in need.

The businessman-turned-politician, known for his philanthropic activities across the constituency, said the needs in the community remain substantial, with many vulnerable residents still requiring assistance.

He has constructed several dams in the constituency to provide consistent water for domestic use, livestock and irrigation. The projects, supported by JCB Ganatra, aim to combat drought, enhance food security and ensure water is accessible to the community.

“Dams provide reliable water for households and agriculture, reducing dependency on rain-fed farming,” he said.

Residents welcomed the construction of the dam, saying it would ease longstanding water shortages and improve livelihoods.

“Water has always been a struggle for us. The problem also affected school performance. This dam is a game changer,” said community elder Jillo Guyo.

Mr Doyo urged young people to embrace agribusiness to tackle unemployment and boost food security, emphasising that the agricultural sector offers significant employment opportunities that could absorb hundreds of unemployed youths and improve their livelihoods.

He reiterated his ambition to empower young people with modern skills to become innovative in technology and entrepreneurship, adding that more than 350 students have graduated from his computer literacy programme since it began in 2024.

He also called on the national government to construct mega dams in Saku constituency to address food insecurity and water shortages, boost irrigation and drill boreholes to provide sustainable water for domestic use, livestock and irrigation.

“I call on both the county and national governments to prioritise the drilling of boreholes in the constituency to mitigate drought-induced hunger and water scarcity,” he said.

While urging parents and guardians not to hide children with disabilities, he called for an end to stigma, discrimination and neglect.

“Stigma is fuelled by misconceptions that disability is a curse, causing immense social, emotional and economic hardship,” he said