With temperatures soaring to 38 degrees Celsius and the drought crisis worsening, the Mandera County Government has initiated a county-wide drought mitigation effort to address the acute water shortage affecting residents and livestock.
The intervention focuses on drilling boreholes in the most severely affected regions, particularly in Mandera West and Banissa sub-counties. These boreholes aim to provide reliable and sustainable water sources, alleviating the hardship caused by prolonged dry conditions.
One of the newly drilled boreholes in Burmayo, Mandera West, is already operational and supplying water to the local community. This development is significantly easing the burden of water scarcity, offering relief to both residents and their livestock.
In Banissa’s Birkan area, another borehole with a capacity of 8 cubic meters per hour has been successfully completed. This facility is equipped with a generator and includes two Kettlewell troughs for livestock. Additionally, a 2-kilometer pipeline extends to Birkan Centre, supplying water kiosks and benefiting over 2,000 households. The initiative ensures that clean and accessible water reaches a wider population, reducing reliance on distant and often unreliable water sources.
While launching the boreholes, Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring water accessibility for all residents. He emphasized that the county government is prioritizing sustainable water solutions to combat the adverse effects of climate change and recurrent droughts.
“The persistent drought has placed immense strain on our communities. We are committed to addressing these challenges by providing long-term water solutions to safeguard the livelihoods of our people and livestock,” Governor Khalif stated.
Residents have welcomed the initiative, noting that access to water will improve health, hygiene, and overall well-being. The availability of water for livestock is also expected to bolster the local economy, which heavily depends on pastoralism.
The borehole drilling project is part of a broader water security strategy that the Mandera County Government is implementing to enhance resilience against drought and climate variability. Moving forward, the county plans to expand similar projects to other affected regions, ensuring that no community is left behind in the fight against water scarcity.
