Pupils leave school amid biting drought

Dozens of rivers across the country have dried up as millions of Kenyans continue to face starvation due to the prevailing drought.

The prolonged dry spell has seen many pupils leave school to help their parents draw water from distant sources.

Ms Esther Michere from Ngambari in Embu county said school children were walking to draw water in Tana River in groups and feared being attacked by crocodiles.

“We have been walking long distances to fetch water since tap water is not available,” she said.

Mr Kamau Nyutu, a resident of Kiamuringa village, said schools in Mbeere are also hard hit, with the feeding programmes collapsing in some primary and day secondary schools due to lack of water after exhausting supplies in tanks and neighbouring rivers drying up.

He said many institutions had been forced to close down the water closets and students now use latrines to save on water.

Mr Nyutu called for immediate intervention, saying many schools might be forced to close by February unless it rains.

Thousands of residents in the county were staring at starvation after three permanent rivers in the lower parts of the county dried up.

Rivers Thuci, Thiba and Ena that are relied upon by residents of Evurore, Muminji, Kirie, Kiambere and Makima wards have dried up, forcing residents to walk for long distances in search of water.

The rivers are major tributaries of River Tana, whose waters have receded to alarmingly low levels, leaving thousands facing famine.

Area residents led by MCAs Albert Kigoro (Evurore), Ms Peninah Mutua (Makima) and Ms Loise Mbuya (nominated), said the region had not experienced rainfall since November while people living upstream have diverted water to their farms for irrigation.

Mbeere Muguka Farmers Sacco Limited chairman Francis Kimori, together with Mr Kamau Nyutu, said farmers were travelling long distances to buy water for their Muguka plants (a cheaper variety of miraa).

Ms Mutua said a major row was brewing since some farmers had diverted Thiba River leaving those downstream without access.

“There are farmers upstream in Don Bosco and Gachuriri who are diverting water to their farms. People are relying on some stagnant water at the river bend which is very risky. We are keeping our fingers crossed that an outbreak of waterborne disease does not occur since it would be bad,” she said.

National Drought Management Authority Embu county coordinator Tarsilah Birauka had in October warned that the region would experience low rainfall.

The situation was equally grim in Machakos county with leaders urging the government to introduce the school-feeding programme in lower Eastern following crop failure in the region caused by drought.

A Kangundo constituency parliamentary aspirant, Fabian Kyule, said many families in the region are in need of relief food because they are facing starvation and children were also likely to drop out of school.

‘’The government needs to help families across the region,’’ he added.

In Tana River county, more than 50,000 people are facing starvation following a persistent drought that has ravaged most parts of the arid and semi-arid county.

Area Governor Hussein Dado has warned that the figure could rise to over 90,000 people, if the rains do not fall soon.

Mr Dado appealed to the national government, donor communities and other well-wishers to provide urgent help to avoid a human and animal disaster in Tana Delta, Tana North and Tana River sub-counties.

“Let us not wait until we hear reports of deaths; already my people are faced with starvation and, as the county government, we have done our best with the little resources we have. We appeal for urgent aid from the national government and our development partners,” said Mr Dado.

Mr Dado said the county last experienced such severe drought in 1984 when rain failure ravaged residents of Galole and Bura. Many were forced to abandon their homes and migrate to Garsen constituency which was then the county’s food basket.

He said his government has suspended pending projects and diverted funds towards drought mitigation, spending Sh250 million towards water trucking and another Sh160 million on relief food. 

The governor said the situation was worrying due to mass deaths of livestock and massive crop failure leaving both the herding and farming populations without any alternative source of income.

“The River Tana, which is relied on for farming, has dried up and everywhere you go, you will see carcasses all over. The situation is worrying everybody,” said Mr Dado.

He added: “We have undertaken water trucking to 253 centres where wells, water pans and dams have dried up due to the drought but still we have a long way to go in saving the situation”.

Reported by: Galgalo Bocha, Charles Wanyoro and Gastone Valusi