Nairobi — The United States Government has announced $26 million (about Sh1.8 billion) in emergency aid for victims of drought in Kenya.

An estimated 3.5 million Kenyans who are facing severe famine and starvation, especially in the northern parts of the country, will benefit from the assistance, which will be provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAid).

USAid assistant administrator Michael Hess said the funding would include $24 million (Sh1.7 billion) food assistance, which would be disbursed through the World Food Programme (WFP) to the drought-stricken parts of the country.

The rest of the amount - $2 million (about Sh142 million) - would be allocated to a Unicef programme in the region for water and sanitation, health and nutrition in aid of malnourished children, pregnant and nursing mothers.

The food rations will go towards two WFP programmes: 24,000 metric tonnes valued at $18 million to the drought emergency operation and 9,750 metric tonnes valued at $7 million to the refugee operation.

The consignment consists of whole and processed food grains, peas and vegetable oil to assist as many as 3.5 million struggling farmers and herders in arid and semi-arid regions. Hess made the announcement at a press conference at the US Embassy in Gigiri on Wednesday. He is in Kenya for an official visit and has visited the North Eastern parts of the country to assess the food situation.

The US has spent an estimated Sh4.6 billion in relief aid to Kenya since last October in response to the Government's appeal to the international community for assistance due to the persistent drought, said the diplomat.

Five days ago, the United Nations appealed for Sh30.2 billion ($426 million) in drought relief for five countries in the Horn of Africa, including Kenya.

The UN said the aid was needed urgently in order to save the lives of about eight million victims of drought in the region, who included 3.5 million Kenyans.

On Wednesday, the USAid concurred saying the situation in the Horn of Africa was grim and warned that it could deteriorate further in light of predictions of low rainfall in coming months.

The agency noted that as a result of the drought conditions over the past few years, entire communities had been displaced from their homes in search of food and water and tens of thousands of livestock had perished.

"We urge other donors to act quickly to help alleviate the current suffering and to help prevent human catastrophe in the Horn of Africa. Both food assistance and non-food assistance such as medicine, immunisation and emergency livestock interventions are urgently required," said Hess.