There was jubilation in Hadley Ward when Garissa Governor Nathif Jama launched the ward’s first ever water project.
Residents broke into song and dance when the first drops of water fell to the ground when the project that is expected to put to rest the problem of recurrent water shortages in the ward was officially unveiled.
The county government, according to Jama had put spirited efforts to extend water to the ward located in Balambala constituency represented in Parliament by Abdikadir Aden.
“This is what we ought to deliver to our community. This is what keeps us moving- when Garissa becomes the centre of all human progress,” Jama said after the launch.
“And the truth of devolution is realized when mothers from the farthest end of our county give out the true testimony of progress and devolution.”Initially, residents of the ward had accused Jama’s government of sidelining them in development. They claimed the governor discriminately distributed resources among the county’s wards.
“We thought he (Jama) would not listen to us, but here he is. We are happy for this project. Last year, we lost many animals because of drought. But that is now history,” said one beneficiary of the project, Sahakila Abdallah.
Jama said if re-elected he would launch a similar project that will supply water for irrigation. The Hadley Water Project is expected to pump water to aerial water tanks which will supply water to a neighbouring dam used for storing water for livestock.
He said Garissa being an arid county; he will prioritize water drilling to support the county’s agricultural sector when re-elected.