A water crisis is affecting 10 villages near Jowhar in Middle Shabelle, where water wells and pans have dried up due to failure of pumps.
Geed-adlow, Hareri-us, Mooro-gubato, Makhudale, Armoley, Mae-turrey, Ilanley, Burdere, Bangorayo and Jileiyale in the west of Jowhar are the worst-affected areas.
Many pastoralists have moved away in search of water.
Mohamud Hussein Gurey, from Armoley village 18 km from Jowhar, said the only water pump in their village broke down five months ago, and they had had very little rain recently.
Habiba Ahmed, a mother of five, migrated to Jowhar from Duray 20 km away after most of her livestock died. She told Radio Ergo that life had become very difficult too in Jowhar.
Mohamed Abdi Armoley, an elder in Geedba’adlow settlement west of Jowhar, said most people in the village had moved towards the east searching for water along the river Shabelle.
He said those who had stayed in the village could not afford to buy water at the current prices of 200,000 Somali shillings per barrel.
