• Omar said climate change has amplified the existing stress on the availability of water.
• The response team has rehabilitated Khorof Harar, Diif, Qarurah, Areswaji, Basir, Korija, Athibohol, Furmati and Dadajabula 1 boreholes.
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
The Wajir county government has started rehabilitating damaged boreholes as the drought continues to worsen.
Water chief officer Ahmed Omar said water pans and dams in most areas have dried up, resulting in over-concentration of livestock and humans on major water sources such as boreholes, hence the frequent breakdowns.
He said the county has also started water trucking services at all centres across the subcounties.
Omar said climate change has amplified the existing stress on the availability of water.
He spoke on Saturday in Habswein, Wajir South. Omar was accompanied by Water Services director Mohamed Farah and subcounty water officer Abdirizack Hassan.
Wajir South is the largest subcounty with the highest number of boreholes and settlements.
The response team has rehabilitated Khorof Harar, Diif, Qarurah, Areswaji, Basir, Korija, Athibohol, Furmati and Dadajabula 1 boreholes.
The department's field team replaced PVC pipes and a genset for Korija and Baladwayn centres.
The team visited Ohio, Hubsoy, Ibrahim Ure, Boji Garas, Handaki, Guled Dere, Salalma, Muqdere, Sarif, Kulmis, Biyamadhow, Jariqa, Shoma Gari, Shimbir Bul, Nambaraha/Junction, Sabuli, Fini, Dalsan, Meri and Abaqkore.
Last week, Governor Ahmed Mukhtar said the drought had become a cyclic problem.
He said his administration was committed to ensuring livestock farmers incur minimum losses by providing them with water and feed.
The National Drought and Management Authority has issued an alert of livestock emaciation and a decline in milk production.
In its July report, the NDMA said storage and water sources were getting depleted by the day following failed October-November-December and March-April rains.
The National Drought Early Warning Bulletin indicated that 12 counties namely Marsabit, Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Samburu, Kitui, Lamu, Isiolo and Laikipia were in the alert drought phase.
The NDMA report indicated that the state of pasture and browse in most arid and semi-arid counties was generally fair to poor conditions, with Isiolo, Garissa, Wajir, Tana River, Laikipia and Kitui reporting poor pasture conditions.
The NDMA also said it will this month release Sh559 million as cash transfer residents of four counties ravaged by the prolonged dry spell.
NDMA chief executive officer James Oduor said about 100,000 families in Turkana, Marsabit, Wajir and Mandera will benefit under the hunger safety programme implemented by the authority.
“The cash transfer will be released on August 16 with priority being given to those counties that are the most affected by drought. The programme will expand to other counties like Isiolo, Garissa, Tana River and Samburu due to vagaries of climate change and continued drought,” he said.
Edited by A.N