Kenya is currently facing a milk shortage that has affected the daily lives of many, especially those who rely on milk for their traditional tea, known as chai. Supermarkets are struggling to keep their chilled sections stocked, and retailers have raised prices and imposed purchase limits on milk. The government has attributed the shortage to a prolonged drought, which has reduced the availability of pasture and disrupted milk production. The Kenya Dairy Board (KDB), which regulates the dairy industry, has acknowledged "supply constraints" and "low stock levels" across the country, though it insists milk is still available. Muthoni Macharia, who runs a restaurant in Nairobi, usually buys over 70 packets of fresh milk daily to meet her customers' needs. However, she has found it increasingly difficult to secure enough supply, describing the situation as unusual and expressing concern over its impact on her business. The milk shortage has also sparked public concern, with some people spreading unfounded conspiracy theories about supermarkets deliberately restricting milk supply. According to the KDB, formal milk deliveries to processors dropped by 3.7% from 84.4 million litres in June to 81.3 million litres in July. Preliminary data suggests the decline continued into August. The Consumer Federation of Kenya (Cofek) has linked the supply drop to delayed seasonal rains, reduced grazing areas, and a 45% increase in animal feed costs. Cofek has criticized the dairy sector for not properly absorbing excess milk last year, which could have helped ease the current shortage. It has called for a recovery plan that includes support for fodder production, subsidies for farmers, and price monitoring to prevent unfair price increases. The KDB’s managing director, William Maritim, assured the public that milk remains available despite the "temporary supply constraints," noting that fresh pasteurized milk—shorter shelf life—is more affected than long-life UHT milk. Customers have reported rising prices and difficulty finding milk, with some resorting to adding water to the milk they manage to buy. In response, the agriculture ministry has held meetings with dairy processors to address the issue. Officials have committed to supporting farmers, stabilizing milk supply, and protecting consumers. They are exploring options like duty-free importation of yellow maize to provide more feed for farmers and considering the establishment of a fund to preserve milk during periods of surplus. They are also looking into temporary milk imports from neighboring countries to help ease the shortage.