Lack of clean water has forced more than 1,000 villagers in Kiangwe and Mararani, Lamu county, to use salty water from the Indian Ocean for domestic use.
The two villages are among several others occupied by the minority Boni community.
The community has for decades depended on boreholes and wells located deep inside the Boni Forest. Most of the wells have since dried up because of the drought.
Kiangwe community elder Fatma Shizo said women bear the brunt as they are forced to rise up early and trek for more than 40km in search of water from the only remaining freshwater well.
“All fresh water wells and boreholes have dried up. The only ones that haven’t are salty. The remaining freshwater well is tens of kilometres away from here," Shizo said.
"Those who can, trek and even spend a night or two just queuing for the water, Majority of us just have to use the available salty water from the ocean. It's disgusting but we have no option.”
Khadija Hussein said the situation has caused them untold suffering as many of them, especially children suffer frequent bouts of stomach and skin ailments.
Ahmed Abdalla said many villagers teeth are discoloured after using salty water from the ocean.
Mararani village elder Abdi Chengele said many households go for even three days without cooking because of lack of water.
The Kenya Defence Forces camps in their areas, however, continue to supply fresh drinking water from time to time, according to Chengele.
“The KDF and police camps will always give us some water from time to time but that isn’t enough. We hope the government sends us some real help including water bowsers to save us from this agony.”
Locals also want the government to establish desalination plants to purify the ocean water.
