The government has put in place peace committee in all subcounties in Garissa to ensure communities share available resources this dry season.
The latest climate outlook from the Meteorological Department for the next three months indicates that Garissa will be among counties that will receive below normal rainfall.
Garissa deputy county commissioner Sebastian Okiring said the information from the Met department is important because it will help them in preparing the communities for possible outcome of the below normal rainfall.
He spoke in Garissa on Thursday during the 10th National Climate Outlook Forum for the March to May 2025 long rains season.
Okiring said the government is aware of the possibility of clashes emanating from competition over resources and will do everything to ensure that does not happen.
In the past, these conflicts resulted in fatalities, destruction of property and evictions, as communities tried to protect their boundaries and resources.
“Competition over resources is common the world over. And that is why in our situation we have peace committees that move upfront whenever there is migration to talk to the local communities to allow visiting communities to access pasture in peace,” Okiring said.
He lauded the approach, which he said has been working for decades and urged residents to share the available resources.
Okiring said the government is working closely with other state and non-state actors to ensure all the affected areas get the much-needed help.
“We have so many partners working in the county whom we have partnered with to see to it that those areas that have pasture and may not have water are provided with this precious commodity,” he said.
“We will also inform the pastoralists where pasture will be available so their migration is driven by the availability of pasture.”
Last week, Garissa Governor Nathif Jama said his administration was conscious on the drought situation in the county and will put in place mitigation measures.
He said his administration has started water trucking with the help of the National drought Management Authority.
“We are alert to the drought situation on the ground. We have started
supplying water to 217 centres that
are experiencing water shortage. We
are keen to ensure that our people
and their livestock are properly watered and no lives or animals are lost
due to a lack of water,” the governor
said.
