The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) warned of prolonged drought, and called on the national and County governments and their partners to significantly scale up both livelihood support and relief activities that reinforce coping strategies of populations affected by the situation.
It also issued early warning report per affected County, saying the situation could be worse than that witnessed in 2011.
The Authority warned that short rains season had ended, and that no County reported normal rainfall in December 2016, as most of them continued experiencing significant vegetation deficit.
The most affected 23 Counties include: Baringo, Nyeri (Kieni), Marsabit, Garissa, Wajir, Lamu, Kilifi, Isiolo, Mandera, Kitui, Turkana and Laikipia.
Others include: Tharaka Nithi, Meru North, Makueni, Tana River, Kwale, Embu (Mbeere), Narok, Taita Taveta, West Pokot, Samburu and Kajiado.
The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) has however cheeped in, and started buying livestock in such Counties, and slaughter them for affected residents to consume.
KRCS officer in charge of the Coastal region Hassan Musa said the programme costs Sh7.5 million and would run across all the affected Counties.
Accompanied by a Livestock and a Public Health Officer, KRCS assess animals' health and agree on the price with the keeper, before buying and slaughtering it.
Cows are purchased between Sh10,000 to Sh15,000, Sh5,000 to Sh3,000 for goats and Sh2,000 to Sh3,00 for a sheep.
"This will reduce animal losses for pastoralist communities. It doesn't make sense that they lose their animals due to lack of food and starve to death also. We are buying them, slaughter, and distribute to them as food,'' he said.