After years of persistent water scarcity, residents of Modogashe in northern Kenya are celebrating the completion of a major water project that is set to transform lives for over 30,000 people. The town, one of the oldest settlements in the region, has long endured an unreliable water supply, relying on shallow wells dug into the Togweyn laga a seasonal riverbed prone to drying up during prolonged droughts.
The lack of clean, consistent water not only affected daily life but also sparked violent resource-based conflicts with neighbouring Isiolo County, resulting in loss of lives. In the absence of a permanent solution, locals had depended heavily on water trucking services from local leaders and NGOs.
That reality has now changed with the commissioning of a modern water supply system. The project features four fully equipped boreholes located at Qone plains in the Lorian Swamp, some 45 kilometres from Modogashe. Water is pumped through a newly constructed pipeline into the town, where two massive storage tanks holding a combined 700,000 litres redistribute it to households and public institutions.
Garissa Governor Nathif Jama, while officially commissioning the project, described it as a game-changer. “This project has taken us close to two years, but we thank God it is now complete. Over 200 households and all government institutions here are now connected to clean water,” he said. He added that the Garissa Rural Water and Sewerage Company will manage the supply to ensure uninterrupted service.
The governor also urged the community to safeguard the infrastructure, warning against any acts of vandalism.
Lagdera MP Mohamed Hussein welcomed the project and called on the county to extend the pipeline to nearby Sericho in Isiolo County. “We have shared resources and lived together for over 100 years. It’s only fair that our neighbours also benefit,” he said, adding that peace efforts between communities are bearing fruit.
The successful completion of the project marks a new chapter for Modogashe—a future with improved health, dignity, and peaceful coexistence.
