Overview:
The dam, constructed in 2010 by the Ministry of Water and Environment for 6.7 billion Shillings, had been a vital lifeline for local herdsmen and was already struggling to cope with the dry season.
The Kobebe dam in Lotisan sub-county, Moroto district, has suddenly dried up again due to siltation, leaving over 50,000 cattle without access to water.
The dam, constructed in 2010 by the Ministry of Water and Environment for 6.7 billion Shillings, had been a vital lifeline for local herdsmen and was already struggling to cope with the dry season.
With the dam’s water levels depleted, pastoralists from Napak, Kotido, Moroto, and even Turkana in Kenya are left stranded, desperate for alternative sources of water for their animals. Most of the pastoralists are now migrating to some parts of Napak, while others have penetrated towards the sides of Teso.
The herdsmen say that they now have to kill bulls and offer meat to the hosting community to be allowed to graze cattle. They added that each community they visit must take one bull for slaughter if they are to share the resources peacefully.
Meanwhile, some herdsmen who remained at Kobebe dam were seen digging at the heart of the dam, trying to get the water that was soaked down under the sand. However, the water was extremely dirty, but the herdsmen had to collect it for livestock while some was distilled for human consumption.
Moru Eregei, a Turkana herdsman, said that he has lost hope for his livestock after the dam that used to be their saviour dried up. Eregei stressed that the Kobebe dam has been supporting them for a long time, and it’s very unfortunate to lose it at this time when they need water more than before due to the excess heat.
“The drought in my home country, Kenya, is worse, and I knew that my animals would be saved from Moroto,” he said. Ekeno Loupa, another cattle keeper, said that the condition of the water crisis has forced them to water their cattle with very dirty water and exposed livestock to diseases.
Loupa explained that some of the cattle that die and are slaughtered, they often find sand inside the internal organs, while others, like the liver is damaged.
David Livingstone Ejule, one of the residents, said that they have been sharing the water from the dam with the livestock, and now they are also stuck without water for domestic use.
“We have only one borehole with salty water, but now we are forced to use it that way,” he said.
The leaders attributed the effects on the dam to the security road that was created and blocked the main water channel that used to supply water to the dam. The dam also required de-silting in order to boost the storage capacity. They now demand that action be taken to work on the dam to save it.
Jackson Angella, an elder in Rupa sub-county, observed that the destruction of the water channels that used to supply water to the dam has greatly affected the dam. Angella blamed the district engineers for creating roads and blocking the channels without culverts, saying the dam could not collect enough water.
He lamented that unless the original water channels are opened, the dam shall not revive, or else it will dry up forever. Angella said that the dam helped the pastoralists to coexist peacefully, and now that it’s drying up will breed internal conflicts.
John Robert Adupa, the LCIII Chairperson of Lotisan sub-county, noted that the state of the dam is very worrying because it has never dried up completely. Adupa said that they only used to experience a drop in the water levels during the dry season, but it could sustain some water for animals until the rains resumed.
Adupa stressed that the dam has a very small collection of water that is dirty and green in colour, which animals and human beings are now using.
Adupa said that the water crisis has forced the herdsmen to come into the community to struggle for borehole water, and this poses threats to human health and the potential breakdown of the boreholes. He attributed the challenges of Kobebe Dam to the creation of security roads that blocked the rivers that used to feed the water into the dam.
He explained that the road contractors intentionally blocked the original water channels and never put in culverts, but instead attempted to divert the water, affecting the water flow. Adupa warned that there are high risks of a potential resurgence of insecurity due to the struggle for water sources if the water crisis is not addressed.
Adupa demanded that since Kobebe Dam contributed to the promotion of peace among the pastoral community, the government should consider reviving the dam.
Joseph Otita, the LCIII Chairperson of Rupa sub-county, stressed that it’s painful to see livestock spend two days without taking water, yet they feed on dry grass that requires plenty of water to ease digestion. He said that the herdsmen have also been struggling to distil the dirty greenish water from Kobebe Dam for consumption, while the government is just watching.
Otita recalled that Kobebe Dam had a design for an irrigation system, but they never saw the government introduce it, yet it was meant to boost food production as well as support livestock. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the Ministry of Water for failing to address the challenge that has, for decades, rendered Karamojong vulnerable despite government efforts to end the crisis.
Otita said that his office is now overwhelmed by the reports of broken boreholes in several villages as a result of herdsmen sharing boreholes with the community. He demanded an explanation from the Ministry of Water for why they left the dam to dry up without their intervention, yet a lot of money was injected into the dam project.
Justine Samuel Tuko, the Moroto Deputy Resident District Commissioner, asserted that Kobebe has been the only hope for the pastoralists, and its drying up will leave them miserable. Tuko noted that the dam used to have a lot of water serving both livestock and humans, and it’s surprising to see it no longer exists.
Tuko said that the remaining little dirty water at the dam is exposing humans and livestock to dangerous waterborne diseases. Tuko noted that the herdsmen are already stranded and they can’t go anywhere in search of water.
Tuko also observed that all the fish that the government reared in the dam have also died, yet it was intended to generate revenue for the sub-county. He urged the government to step in and quickly address the challenge of water by reviving the Kobebe dam so that the herdsmen can have peace among themselves and improve the health of the cattle.
He noted that there is a need to work on the dam before the rains return to boost the storage capacity.
Moroto District Veterinary Officer Dr Moses Okino said that a total of 300, 000 head of cattle are affected in the entire district as most of the water sources dry off due to excess heat. Okino attributed the water crisis to the effects of climate change, which has taken a toll on livestock due to shrinking pasture and water sources.
He also expressed concerns over the newly poisonous plant species that they have discovered, and it’s linked to climate change, which poses risks to livestock.
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