Government Hands Over Sh96 Million Isiolo Water Project to Boost Access for 8,000 Residents
Communities in Merti and Korbesa areas of Isiolo County are set to benefit from a major improvement in water supply after the national government officially handed over a Sh96.7 million water project aimed at reducing long treks in search of water. The new system will directly serve at least 8,000 residents across Korbesa, Mata-Arba and Saleti, easing pressure on families that have relied heavily on water trucking for years. Officials say the project will significantly cut government expenditure, previously amounting to about Sh30 million annually for trucking water to Merti Sub-county.
Launching the Merti–Korbesa project, Special Programmes Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Abdul Bahari said the government had laid pipes along a 24-kilometre stretch from Merti town to Korbesa, where the new supply will be extended further to Biliqi in the next development phase. The water line will also benefit six schools, four dispensaries and more than 11,000 livestock in the region. Bahari, accompanied by National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) Board Chair Raphael Nzomo and CEO Rtd. Col. Hared Hassan, noted that despite drought resilience interventions, climate shocks continue to threaten livelihoods. He highlighted the government’s ongoing support programmes, including emergency cash transfers and Inua Jamii payments, which have targeted thousands of vulnerable households in Isiolo.
Local leaders and drought management officials welcomed the project, saying it provides critical relief to pastoralist families who have faced repeated water shortages due to severe and prolonged droughts. NDMA’s Nzomo emphasized the importance of communities taking responsibility for maintaining pipelines and borehole equipment through locally collected levies. He added that NDMA is working on expanding its hunger safety net programme to cover more vulnerable households in Isiolo, Garissa, Tana River and Samburu, with Isiolo set to have over 7,000 beneficiaries. To boost security and routine maintenance, the agency also issued two motorbikes to local teams managing the new water infrastructure.
Looking ahead, government and NDMA officials stressed the need for sustainable long-term solutions, including greener energy alternatives for pumping borehole water and improved water storage systems to withstand future climatic shocks. They reiterated their commitment to collaborating with communities to safeguard the infrastructure, warning that vandalism could undermine progress and delay upcoming phases of the project. With plans already underway for further extensions, residents are optimistic that the improved water supply will help stabilize local livelihoods and reduce the recurring burden of drought.