Chinese road firm destroys water sources near S Sudan border

Turkana residents along the border of Kenya and South Sudan are in dire need of water after a Chinese road construction company destroyed existing projects.

Residents of Naprikanyi and Nakariman villages in Nadapal, Turkana West subcounty have accused the China Railway Number 5  Company of destroying a water pan, spring water and a borehole.

It is building the A1 road that links Kenya to South Sudan.

Angry residents led by Amin Mohammed said the new water shortage has forced them to depend on dirty water from an incomplete pan at Naprikanyi.

Asked for comment on the situation, a Chinese woman who identified herself only as Sophy said it is the responsibility of the government to construct water projects for residents.

She said on Monday  the tender from the Kenya National Highways Authority doesn’t include social corporate responsibility requiring the firm to construct water pans.

They only do social services, such as drilling boreholes, in communities where they are working she said.

Mohammed, a community spokesman, said lack of of water fuels cattle rusting.

“This region is very fertile with enough pastures to feed our livestock, but the major problem is water scarcity. There is only an incomplete water pan at Naprikanyi constructed by Turkana county but it cannot serve all residents and livestock in the region,” he said.

Mohammed said at least 5,000 members of the community are in dire need of water for domestic use and for their livestock.

He said the Chinese road construction firm has destroyed existing projects including a borehole, spring water and a pan along the road in Nakariman village.

He said they have pleaded with the company to construct another water pan and borehole for the community, in vain.

“Our exiting water points were destroyed by the China Railway Number 5 Engineering Group Company and now we cannot access water.

When we protested against this inhumane treatment, the company opted to supply water to members of the community but it’s not enough as we are unable to feed thousands of animals. What we need are sustainable projects,” he said.

Resident Peter Lochoto of Nakariman village said they are forced to trek for more than 30km a day to access water at Naprikanyi water pan. He said it is dirty since it is consumed by animals and used for bathing.

“The water  from Naprikanyi water pan is unfit for human consumption but since we don’t have clean water, we are forced to drink it,” he said.

Lochoto said the shortage of water is like  cattle rustling that leads to death of people and loss of livestock.

“We don’t have a nearby point to take our livestock. We are forced to take them to Naprikanyi water pan which attracts the cattle rustlers known as Toposa from South Sudan to steal our livestock,” he said.

He said a few weeks ago cattle rustlers from South Sudan raided the Naprikanyi water pan and drove away livestock.

Lochoto has urged the government and other authorities to provide water to end the struggle.

Resident John Lotet of Nakariman said he suspected Toposa militia from South Sudan have killed many people and stolen thousands of heads of livestock in the scramble for water and pasture.

He said now that bandits have their pastures, they are afraid of crossing to those hotspot areas.

It's  the responsibility of the government to ensure they have enough water for domestic and their animals, he said

In December 2020 Kenya National Highway Authority agreed with Turkana county leaders to waive levies and fees charged on materials for road construction.

The agreement unlocked Sh2.8 billion for infrastructure projects as part of KenHA's corporate social responsibility.

(Edited by V. Graham)