Women from the Samburu tribe wait for a food destination given due to an ongoing drought, in the town of Oldonyiro, Isiolo county, Kenya, October 8, 2021Women from the Samburu tribe wait for a food destination given due to an ongoing drought, in the town of Oldonyiro, Isiolo county, Kenya, October 8, 2021, because severe drought has forced them to migrate hundreds of miles in search of pasture and water.
Paul Paradisi is an administrator of Koiting Location in the county: “Our people have gone very far to look for pasture and when it comes to election matters, we might lose a lot of votes because these are almost 200 kilometers from here and they won’t be able to get an opportunity to come back and vote – that is a challenge.”
Debt levels for the country have also surged to roughly $70 billion dollars, or 67% of GDP. Incumbent president Uhuru Kenyatta, who must stand down after serving two terms, says borrowing – including $8 billion from China, funded the much-needed infrastructure and helped spur development. Many voters want change, frustrated by corruption and skyrocketing prices. But both frontrunners vying to succeed Kenyatta have ties to him.