By Abbas Nazil
Residents of Korisa Location in Kenya’s North Eastern region have petitioned Garissa Governor Nathif Jama over a critical water shortage that has left the community struggling to access clean and reliable water.
Three local elders, Mohamud Hajir, Haret Nasteh Noor, and Mohamed Dahir Ahmed, submitted the petition to the governor and the County Executive Committee member in charge of water, highlighting the absence of county-funded water projects in their area since the establishment of devolved governance.
The petition, received by the County Water Executive on January 8, 2026, comes amid ongoing scrutiny over how devolution funds have been managed in the North Eastern region, following remarks by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua alleging that some governors misappropriated county resources and invested in luxury properties in Nairobi.
According to the elders, Korisa Location residents historically relied on water pans for their water supply, but these sources have become unreliable due to prolonged droughts, siltation, and years of neglect.
For the past two years, the community received piped water through support from the Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy, managed by the Northern Rangelands Trust.
This initiative temporarily eased the water crisis, but the pump supplying the water broke down about a year ago and has remained unrepaired due to limited resources, forcing residents to depend on water bowsers from Tana River County.
The elders estimated that repairing the broken pump would cost approximately Sh300,000, an amount the community cannot raise due to widespread poverty and limited livelihood opportunities.
Reliance on water bowsers has worsened the situation, as many households cannot consistently afford the fees charged, and women and children are often forced to walk long distances to fetch water when the bowsers are unavailable.
Sanitation conditions in the area have deteriorated, raising serious health and safety concerns for the local population.
The petition demands immediate repair of the faulty pump and calls for sustainable, long-term solutions, including drilling boreholes or establishing a permanent piped water system to ensure reliable access to clean water.
Copies of the letter were also sent to the offices of the Garissa Senator, the Ijara Member of Parliament, and the Speaker of the Garissa County Assembly.
The elders stressed that access to clean and safe water is a fundamental human right and urged county authorities to include Korisa Location in development planning and service delivery to prevent further suffering.
The petition represents a growing call for accountability and effective service provision in Kenya’s devolved system of governance, highlighting the urgent need for immediate intervention to address the severe water crisis affecting thousands of residents in the North Eastern region.
