Nairobi — President William Ruto on Saturday night announced that his deputy Rigathi Gachagua will chair an intergovernmental meeting on efforts to curb the severe drought in counties.

Counties across the country have been witnessing worsening drought situation.

A report by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) earlier in September announced Laikipia, Tana River and Tharaka Nithi had joined Isiolo, Mandera, Garissa, Turkana, Wajir, Samburu and Marsabit bringing the number of counties in the alarm phase to 10.

"My deputy will, Monday, convene a meeting of GoK involving county leaders/officials to harmonize urgent interventions to stem the severely adverse effects of ravaging drought in almost 20 counties that is putting about 3 million people at great risk," the president said in a tweet.

In July, the government received approximately Sh30 billion from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to help battle the drought and food insecurity to supplement ongoing relief efforts.

According to NDMA 4.1 million people in the Arid and Semi-arid areas were food insecure in July, up from 3.8 million in March.

The NDMA report also projected an increase in the number of people in need of urgent food assistance to an estimated 4.35 million between the months of October and December.

The agency's Chief Executive Officer, Hared Hassan, noted that the forecast for the October - November short rains season indicated a below average performance hence the need for concerted anticipatory action by key drought risk management players.