By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, 11 July 2026 - Kenya has launched an ambitious Sh130.8 million campaign to shield thousands of families from the devastating effects of recurring drought, with world-class athlete Daniel Simiu Ebenyo taking centre stage in a national drive to transform lives across four of the country's hardest-hit counties.
The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) unveiled the internationally acclaimed distance runner as the ambassador of the Road Race for Peace and Resilience 2026, a flagship initiative aimed at mobilizing resources to finance water, livelihood and environmental restoration projects in Samburu, Isiolo, Laikipia and Meru.
The campaign comes as Kenya intensifies efforts to tackle the growing impact of climate change, which has left millions vulnerable to prolonged drought, livestock losses, food insecurity and conflict over scarce natural resources.
NDMA says the proposed investments will improve the lives of more than 30,000 people, benefit over 5,000 households and protect more than 50,000 livestock, replacing costly emergency relief with long-term resilience programmes.
For Ebenyo, the campaign is deeply personal.
Raised in Baragoi, Samburu County, the athlete recalled trekking nearly 24 kilometres to school every day, navigating drought, insecurity and poverty before rising to become one of the world's top distance runners.
"I stand here today not only as an international athlete but also as a son of Samburu and Kenya's ASALs. I know what it means to walk long distances to school through drought and insecurity because I lived that reality," Ebenyo said.
He said he hopes his journey will inspire Kenyans, corporate organisations and development partners to invest in communities that continue to struggle with chronic water shortages and shrinking livelihoods.
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NDMA Chief Executive Officer Lt Col (Rtd) Hared Adan said the initiative marks a major shift in the country's drought management strategy by prioritising prevention instead of waiting for humanitarian disasters.
"For far too long, drought has been viewed solely as a humanitarian crisis. Today we are changing that narrative. Drought is a development, economic, peace and security challenge that requires collective action," Adan said.
NDMA Board Chairman Shallow Yahya said Ebenyo's remarkable rise from the drought-stricken plains of Samburu to the global athletics stage symbolises the resilience the Authority hopes to nurture across Kenya's drylands.
He said the campaign seeks to unite government, county administrations, the private sector, development partners and ordinary Kenyans behind a common goal of ending the cycle of drought emergencies.
The fundraising campaign will culminate in the inaugural NDMA Road Race for Peace and Resilience in Archers Post on August 8, with proceeds supporting projects under the Government's Ending Drought Emergencies (EDE) programme and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The Authority has appealed to all Kenyans to support the initiative, warning that as climate change accelerates, building drought resilience has become an urgent national priority rather than a choice.