When rain fell in the village of Konton, on the Kenya-Somalia border, the local community thought they were saved from the impending drought. Instead, the water crisis is getting even worse. Alun McDonald spoke to villagers there.

While most parts of Wajir district have not seen a drop of rain since last year, the village of Konton was one of a few which got lucky. Or so it seemed, when a couple of days of rain fell here just two months ago. But the community’s initial delight soon disappeared.

News that Konton had received rain quickly spread throughout the drought-hit region.

“Thousands of people suddenly came here to try and get water,” says Hussein Mohammed Adam, a local cattle owner. “I’ve never seen an influx like this before.”

The rains may have provided just about enough water for the locals - but it is nowhere near enough for the desperate migrants as well. When I visited the village’s only borehole, in a dusty clearing a couple of kilometres from the Somalia border and recently renovated by Oxfam engineers, hundreds of men and women thronged around the water point until the overworked taps finally gave up and ground to a halt. Thousands of camels, cows and goats were kept a short distance away, waiting for their turn. Some people had been waiting for several days.

Abdiya Mohammed pushed her way through the crowds to look for her mother-in-law. “She came to the borehole two days ago and she hasn’t returned. I stayed at home to look after the children, but I got worried about her so I came here.” Abdiya eventually found her, looking for a chance to fill up the family’s jerry cans, but still without a single drop to show for 48 hours of waiting.

On the edge of the clearing, Mahat Ali was a visibly worried man. One of the recent migrants, Mahat arrived in Konton with his wife and six children a week ago, bringing everything they had.

“It took us 15 days to get here. Back home there is nothing left - no water, no pasture…it’s complete drought.

“We came with about 30 other families and we are staying together in shelters a few kilometres away. The children got sick after travelling such a long way without proper food or water. One of my sons has very bad diarrhoea.

“I came here because I heard it rained recently - but when we arrived we found many other people had the same idea. The water points are too congested, and I still haven’t been able to get enough water for my children or my camel. I got a few jerry cans, that’s all. Here is just as bad as the place we left. There are too many people, not enough pasture, and not enough water. I don’t know what we can do next. This place was our last hope. Now it is only up to God.”

As the drought across Wajir gets worse, the desperation at the Konton water point increases. Fierce arguments broke out as tempers finally frayed among the waiting men and women.

Abdir Mohammed left his wife and seven children at home when he came to the borehole. “I can’t bring children here - it’s too difficult and stressful. You have to be strong and fight to get the water. I left them in my village five days ago. I don’t know how they are coping or whether they are eating properly.

“This is the only place to find water to keep my cattle alive and to take home to my family. My cows have already had three days without any water at all. I’ve almost lost hope for my livestock - now I am just worried about my children and my family.”

More people continue to arrive daily. Many locals took their cattle over the Somali border, but the rains failed there too so they are starting to return to Konton. The news of the rains and the hope that some water may be available is too great for families from drought-stricken areas to resist. When they arrive, the reality is very different.

Read: Kenya: Drought worsens in the neglected north (Part 1)
See: Drought in Kenya photostory

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