Pastoralists want dams, rainwater storage in Turkana

The drought is devastating. Almost all water sources pastoralists depend on have dried up but there's a little hope in scattered rain showers.

Pastoralists have urged the county government to harvest the rainwater and build dams to reduce the water shortage.

A national drought emergency has been declared.

For years the national government has urged counties to harvest and store rainwater, but they did very little.

The drought started late last year, rains failed and pastoralists had little hope of survival. Animals were not bought by the state. Emaciated ones died.

Pastoralists must trek for more than 30km under the scorching sun to find water for livestock and domestic use.

The worst-affected areas are Turkana North and Kibish.

Pastoralists have appealed for government, humanitarian agencies and well-wishers to help them get water.

Pastoralist James Ekaru from Lapur in Turkana North is one of many who travel in search of water. He said boreholes, traditional river wells and shallow wells have dried up.

Residents depended on a dam in Liwani, built by the Lapur Mission in the 1900s, but it's empty now.

Lapur resident Cynthia Asmit said residents now travel with water containers to the Napus water point.

“If the rains do not come, no one will survive," she said.

Since a little rain has started, she urged the county and national governments to start harvesting the rainwater.

“We thank God because we have received rain for the last two days. We don't know if the soil will retain water for long but we want the government to help us collect rainwater," she said.

The National Drought Management Authority in August said major water sources have dried or are drying up.

“Despite boreholes being the preferred water source because of better quality, many households were forced to use shallow well as boreholes were crowded," the report said. That water is not clean.

The report said seasonal rivers such as the Lokichar, Kopir, Napusinyang, Kawalathe, Tarach, Kalemngorok, Kalobeyei and Natiira  are dry.

Cases of livestock diseases  have increased. Diseases include haemmorghic septiceamia (HS) and Pest Petis Ruminantes (PPR) in most areas of Turkana North, Turkana South and Turkana East.

Sheep and goat pox and mange have been reported in the fisheries and agro-pastoral zones, where livestock deaths were reported in August.

The drought report cited opportunistic diseases, dehydration and starvation mostly along the eastern part of the county. 

Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok last week said more than 150,000 animals have crossed the border to Uganda in search of water and pasture.

The county said at least 640,000 people are at risk of starvation.

Nanok said his government has bought relief food and at the end of this week will start distributing it.

The county will also try to repair water sources, including boreholes that have dried up. Water will be trucked to regions in need.

(Edited by V. Graham)