- The county had not received rainfall since September last year leaving boreholes and water pans dry and causing drought but now the region is experiencing heavy rains.
- John Loporonito, a pastoralist from Nanam in Turkana West, told the Star that his goats and sheep were killed by drought.
Image: HESBORN ETYANG
Pastoralists in Turkana have urged the county government to initiate rain water harvesting projects and put up dams to end the water crisis in the region.
The county had not received rainfall since September last year, leaving boreholes and water pans dry and causing drought. The region is now experiencing heavy rains.
John Loporonito, a pastoralist from Nanam in Turkana West, told the Star that his goats and sheep were killed by drought.
“We depend on animals as a source of our livelihoods. But for our livestock to survive we need water. When drought came, all the water sources our animals depend on dried up. I lost my goats and sheep because pasture and water had dried up,” he said.
Loporonito says the struggle for water and pastures forces them to cross over the border to South Sudan where some have lost their lives and animals due to cattle rustling.
"We are now experiencing heavy rains in all regions, what we need to do is harvest the water because we can’t depend only on boreholes and water pans for survival. We need a long-lasting solution to the perennial water crisis,” he said.
He has urged the county government and the relevant authorities to put up dams where the rain water can be stored.
“We only see leaders during the election period, when we vote for them, they don’t come to accomplish what they promised. Our problem has been water and leaders know very well, but none is ready to support us,” he said.
Longoli Muya, a resident of Kibish said that for many years they have been attacked by rustlers while trying to cross over to Ethiopia with their animals in search of water and pastures during the dry season.
“We need big dams in the region so that when it rains, the water can be stored to be used during the dry season. The county government has enough funds to do that, we are tired of crossing to the neighbouring countries in search of water and pastures for our animals,” he said.
Akiru Ekaale said the county has neglected them and urged the leadership to allocate money for the construction of dams.
"We travel with our livestock for more than 147km to look for water and pasture on the Kenya-South Sudan border which is insecure because of cattle rustling."
Last month, Turkana county government announced that more than 600,000 people were at risk of starvation due to drought.
Deputy governor Peter Lotethiro said the entire county is affected by drought and hunger. He said 50 per cent of the population (about 640,000 people) are facing starvation as the drought persists.
The county Department of Livestock Production said 4,193,462 goats and sheep are at risk because of the drought.
“Drought effects have progressively worsened as the county experienced delayed onset of March-April-May rains. Generally, the whole county is at an alert phase, except for some pockets in the agro-pastoral livelihood zones that seem to exhibit the alert phase indicators though rapidly worsening,” a stakeholders meeting report on drought mitigation read in part.
Agriculture, Pastoral Economy and Fisheries executive Philip Aemun who chaired the meeting in Lodwar last month said the county will distribute supplementary feeds and slaughter livestock for off-take to help pastoralists from suffering losses.
He said he intends to mobilise financial resources from the county budget as well as source support from other willing partners.
The county will procure about 400 tonnes of supplementary feeds for 4,000 households and 100,000 sheep and goats countywide.
Acting director of Livestock Production Bobby Ewoi said about 5,000 sheep and goats will be slaughtered and owners paid Sh4,000 each. Some 2,500 households will benefit.
Aemun said drought had forced herders to migrate to new areas in search of water and pasture, making them vulnerable to both diseases, hunger and insecurity.
Lakezone, Kaeris, Kaaleng-Kaikor and Lapur wards in Turkana North, as well as Kerio, Kalokol and Kangathota areas in Turkana Central are the most affected regions.
The report states that Kalapata and Lokichar in Turkana South and Katilia and Kochodin areas in Turkana East require urgent intervention.
Other areas worst hit are Loima and Lopur wards in Loima and Turkana West Subcounties.
-Edited by SKanyara