The drought crisis being experienced in Mandera County has ignited yet another challenge; human and wildlife conflict.
The dry spell spanning close to two years is now causing fierce competition for survival between the residents and wild animals, with scarce water and insufficient food exacerbating the situation.
Mandera County is on the brink of a humanitarian crisis as it has not received sufficient rainfall for close to two years now.
Hence, drought kicked in, and now water and food are commodities hard to come by for over 200,000 people living in the area.
Baboons and monkeys living atop the hilly mountains of Takaba have now moved to the nearby villages in search of water and food; a number of times, the wild animals have caused panic among residents.
“Nyani wanatusumbua saa ile kuna ukame hapa…wanatunyang’anya chakula…saa zingine wanakuja jioni, saa zingine saa saba,” said Amran Hussein, a resident.
Mandera Water CEC Mohammed Ali, on his part, said; “Tukitembea tunaona hawa nyani wanapitia shida…wamekosa chakula…hao baboons hadi wanasababisha injury kwa wanawake na watoto.”
Lack of rainfall has caused crop to wither with the available water pans having dried up months ago signaling a tough time for the people of Mandera.
Area residents now feel that the national and county governments can do more by drilling additional boreholes and constructing other water pans to cater for both residents and animals.
The crisis in the North calls for urgent intervention to put to end to the unnecessary death of animals both wild and domesticated and the everyday battle for survival among the residents.
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