Residents of Longonot town walk tens of kilometres to Naivasha and Mai Mahiu towns in search of water.
The town faces acute water shortage following prolonged drought.
Area leader Charles Mburu yesterday said all public boreholes in the semi-arid town have dried, further compounding the problem. He is the chairman of Nakuru Youth Forum.
Mburu said government agencies have put all their efforts on Turkana and Wajir and forgotten areas such as Mai Mahiu.
“We have experienced drought in the past, but the current one is worse. We fear we could lose lives in the coming days,” he said.
Mburu said wild animals from the nearby Longonot National Park stray into their farms, depleting pastures meant for their livestock.
“The harsh weather conditions have not only affected human beings but also livestock and we are appealing for urgent relief from the state,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kenya Wildlife Services has denied that wild animals in Hell's Gate and Mt Longonot national park are dying of famine.
It said the numbers of wild animals in the two parks are on the rise due to ample pastures and water.
Buffaloes have died in Kedong, Kongoni, Marula and Karasani in the last couple of months.
But the officer in charge of Hell's Gate, Hapicha Ellema, said no deaths have been reported in the park.
“In fact wild animals from nearby game sanctuaries are coming back to the park as there is ample pastures and water,” she said.
She said that park has received ample rain in the past week.
She denied claims of a rise in human-wildlife conflict during the drought.
She said the drought has affected all the farms, thus wild animals have not strayed from the park as is the norm.
