Gloomy picture for northern Kenya pastoralists as major river dries up

The carcass of a sheep near Malka Funan, 210km north of Isiolo town near the border of Isiolo and Wajir counties on October 21. [PHOTO: MOSE SAMMY/STANDARD]

Experts depict a gloomy picture for pastoralists in northern Kenya following the drying up of Ewaso Ng’iro River.

The river, which originates from the Aberdares, is the lifeline of pastoralists in Laikipia, Isiolo, Samburu and Wajir, where it later flows underground from Lorian Swamp.

According to the National Drought Management Authority’s (NDMA) yet to be released bulletin for this month, which has been seen by The Standard on Saturday, the river has dried up all the way from Laikipia North down to Lorian Swamp, near Habaswein in Wajir South.

“The river has dried up from midstream in Laikipia down to Isiolo, with exception of some sections that are fed by springs,” the report reads. The drying up of the river, it adds, poses danger to both livestock and wildlife in the region.

Two game parks -- Shaba and Buffalo Springs in Isiolo and Samburu -- solely rely on the river for the many wildlife there and community-based wildlife conservancies along the river banks stand to be affected too.

A survey by The Standard on Saturday showed the river has dried up from Archers Post in Samburu East to Merti and Sericho in Isiolo.

“This will be catastrophic for the pastoralists who heavily rely on the river for their survival,” said Abdullahi Shande, the Coordinator of Merti Integrated Development Programme (Mid-P).

From an estimated 150,000 people in the area, about 60 per cent require relief food.

On Mashujaa Day, Isiolo Governor Godana Doyo who took the celebration to Merti said elders have opened two key boreholes -- at Yamicha and Duma -- that are only used when the drought has reached emergency level.

“Boreholes in other areas have dried up and herders in Merti and those who migrated here are now using the boreholes at Yamicha and Duma,” said Doyo.

Pasture has also been exhausted, with exception of some areas in Kom, Sabarwawa and along Ewaso Ng’iro River.

Herders from Samburu, Marsabit and Wajir West also migrated to various parts of Merti in search of pasture and water.

“We will give hay to the herders and we appeal to the national government and other donors to chip in and save the farmers from loss,” said the governor.