The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), in partnership with the County Government of Garissa, has commissioned the rehabilitated Arera Borehole in Shanta Abaq Sub-County, significantly improving access to safe, reliable and sustainable water for local communities and their livestock.
The project was implemented in response to increasing pressure on the existing Arera water source, which had exposed residents to recurrent water shortages, livestock losses and declining livelihoods during prolonged dry spells.
The rehabilitated borehole, completed at a cost of Sh1.7 million, is expected to strengthen pastoral livelihoods by providing a more reliable water supply for households and livestock while reducing pressure on surrounding water sources that often become overstretched during drought periods.
Speaking during the commissioning, NDMA Chief Executive Officer Hared Adan said the project is part of the government’s long-term strategy to strengthen drought resilience by investing in durable water infrastructure that reduces vulnerability and dependence on costly emergency response measures.
“During the recent drought, we received repeated appeals from the community to rehabilitate this borehole after livestock were forced to drink from hand-dug troughs, resulting in significant water losses and inefficient use of an already scarce resource,” Adan said.
He explained that NDMA mobilised resources to rehabilitate the borehole and improve water storage and livestock watering systems to ensure a more efficient and sustainable supply of water.
The intervention included construction of a fabricated steel water tower, installation of two elevated 10,000-litre water storage tanks, increasing total storage capacity to 20,000 litres, construction of four livestock watering troughs, and installation of pipelines and associated fittings.
The upgraded system replaces previously used hand-dug watering points, significantly improving water efficiency, reducing wastage and enhancing livestock access to clean water.
Adan noted that investing in resilient water infrastructure is central to reducing the human and economic impacts of drought in arid and semi-arid regions.
“Our focus is to reduce the cost of responding to drought by investing in long-term solutions that strengthen community resilience before crises occur. Every resilience investment protects livelihoods, safeguards development gains and reduces future expenditure on emergency response,” he said.
He further urged the local community to take collective responsibility in safeguarding the facility to ensure it continues serving present and future generations.
The CEO was accompanied by Garissa County Chief Officer for Water Mohamed Ibrahim, who praised the collaboration between the county government and NDMA, noting that the partnership had enhanced water service delivery in the region.
Ibrahim said the county government originally drilled the borehole, while NDMA provided storage facilities and livestock watering infrastructure, making the project fully operational and more effective.
“On behalf of the County Government of Garissa, I wish to sincerely appreciate NDMA for its continued support. The county drilled this strategic borehole, while NDMA came in to provide storage facilities and livestock watering infrastructure, making the project complete,” he said.
He noted that Arera is strategically located near the borders of Isiolo and Wajir counties, making it an important water point not only for local residents but also for neighbouring pastoral communities.
“This is a strategic water point serving communities beyond Garissa County. We will put in place sustainability mechanisms to ensure this borehole continues operating efficiently and serves its intended purpose for many years,” he added.
Residents welcomed the project, describing it as a transformative intervention that has eased long-standing water challenges in the area.
A local resident, Aden Noor, said families had endured decades of hardship, walking long distances in search of water while using donkey carts to ferry the scarce commodity.
“For many years we suffered because of lack of water for both our families and our livestock. We walked long distances with donkey carts searching for water. It affected our children’s education because they sometimes had to accompany us instead of going to school,” he said.
Noor added that the burden of water scarcity disproportionately affected women, children and pregnant mothers, who were often forced to endure long and difficult journeys in search of the essential resource.
He noted that livestock losses during drought periods also worsened household poverty and undermined the pastoral economy, which is the main source of livelihood in the region.
By Erick Kyalo
