Garissa County, Kenya – A severe drought has hit residents across Ijara Ward, Sangailu, and parts of Hulugho Ward, leaving families and their livestock on the brink of collapse as water and pasture sources dry up.
Local leaders have sounded the alarm over the worsening situation, with Ijara youth leader Mr. Yakub Yarrow warning that communities are facing acute water shortages for both domestic and livestock use. The short rains, expected between October and December, have yet to arrive, deepening the humanitarian crisis.
Speaking alongside community elders, Yarrow appealed to well-wishers, NGOs, religious leaders, and both the County and National Governments to step in urgently and provide relief to residents affected by the dry spell.
“It is our collective duty to stand with and support the less fortunate in our community,” said Yarrow, announcing plans to launch the ‘Sama Youth Water Trucking Initiative’ — an emergency program aimed at delivering water to vulnerable families.
Yarrow urged the Garissa County Government to enhance its ongoing water trucking operations and called on the National Government, through Ijara MP, to prioritize the construction of additional dams and boreholes to support pastoralist livelihoods.
He also cautioned that the prolonged drought could spark increased human-wildlife conflict, as both people and animals compete for scarce water sources in the region bordering Boni Forest in Lamu County and Somalia to the east.
Residents are now appealing for immediate intervention from government agencies, humanitarian organizations, and private partners to avert further suffering as the drought intensifies.
“If help doesn’t come soon, we risk losing both our people and our livestock,” one elder said, reflecting the desperation across the affected villages.
With the situation deteriorating rapidly, humanitarian actors warn that Garissa County could soon face a full-scale drought emergency unless swift and coordinated action is taken.
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