By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Kenya, 8 December 2025 - As the UN slashes its 2026 global aid appeal by nearly half, humanitarian actors warn the ripple effects could reach every corner of Africa, including Kenya, where local aid agencies are scrambling to plug widening gaps.
On 8 December 2025, the UN unveiled a drastically reduced aid request of US$ 23 billion, down from US$ 47 billion in 2025, a sign of donor fatigue even as crises from war, climate disasters, epidemics and displacement swell across the globe.
“This is a time of brutality, impunity and indifference,” said UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher, condemning global “apathy” as war-torn regions and vulnerable populations face growing scarcity.
Fletcher was blunt, “We are overstretched, underfunded, and under attack … And we drive the ambulance towards the fire. On your behalf. But there is not enough water in the tank.”
The appeal aims to assist 87 million people in priority crises next year, but UN data estimates nearly 250 million people are in urgent need worldwide.
Kenya’s Local Response, KRCS and the Strain of Shrinking Aid
Back home, the reduced global funding spells trouble for local organisations already stretched thin. The Kenya Red Cross Society, a key partner in national climate-response, disaster relief and refugee support, has warned that diminished global aid threatens its capacity to deliver essential services across the country.
In a recent televised interview (on NTV), KRCS Secretary-General Dr Ahmed Idris said the humanitarian landscape is shifting dangerously: although global crises continue to deepen, “funding gaps in humanitarian operations” are now forcing aid organisations to choose who lives, and who doesn’t.
He warned that Kenya, and Africa broadly, cannot rely solely on external donors anymore. Domestic preparation, resource mobilisation, and strong local institutions must rise to the challenge if lives are to be safeguarded.
Supporting this call, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched a CHF 15 million emergency appeal in November 2025 to help KRCS reach some 300,000 people affected by drought, water shortages, malnutrition and rising disease outbreaks, a clear signal that climate-driven humanitarian need in Kenya is growing even as global aid shrinks.
Real Consequences, Lives, Food, Nurses and Schools on the Brink
The cuts come at a time when millions globally and regionally are already suffering from overlapping crises. According to a mid-year UN review, the 2025 humanitarian response reached 25 million fewer people than in 2024.
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Health systems are buckling, food and nutrition programmes have been slashed, and dozens of aid organisations have shut down. In Kenya’s refugee camps, reductions in aid, especially from large multilateral bodies, have forced families to cut meals, pull children from school and sell assets just to survive. As a WFP- Kenya official previously told media: “When you reduce food, it will lead to a slow starvation.”
If the current funding slump continues, KRCS and other local organisations fear widespread humanitarian collapse: no food aid, crumbling health services, and increased vulnerability among women, children, IDPs and refugees.
The Warning from the Humanitarian Frontlines
UN’s Fletcher warned bluntly, “We drive the ambulance towards the fire on your behalf … but there is not enough water in the tank.” From Nairobi to Darfur, from refugee camps to drought-hit ASAL counties, the message echoes: humanitarian aid is too fragile, too dependent, and not built for long-term resilience.
Kenya’s humanitarian institutions, including KRCS, must now navigate shrinking global support while managing rising local demand. As Dr. Ahmed Idris put it, the era of “aid certainty” is over; what’s needed is national preparation, community solidarity, and local capacity building.
What Needs To Be Done
To address the growing humanitarian challenges, Kenya must take decisive steps to reduce dependence on external aid. Domestic funding for disaster response and humanitarian relief should be boosted, including the creation of a public-private humanitarian fund that can rapidly mobilize resources during crises.
At the same time, local organizations such as the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) need to be strengthened through, access to resources, and robust legal frameworks that allow them to respond effectively both nationally and regionally.
Equally important is the prioritization of climate resilience and adaptive social safety nets. With droughts, floods, and population displacement on the rise, preventive measures and community-based support systems must be scaled up to protect the most vulnerable.
Finally, the international community must be reminded that cutting aid does not resolve crises, it exacerbates suffering. Renewed global solidarity is essential to ensure that humanitarian interventions remain effective and lifesaving for those who need them most.
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