By Staff Reporter | Wajir Today | Monday, 16 February 2026
Residents of Geriley village in Wajir County gained access to clean and reliable water for the first time in nearly three decades after the unveiling of a new community borehole funded under a United Kingdom-backed cross-border programme.
Gerille residents said the borehole marked a major turning point for a community that has long struggled with water scarcity and the social and economic effects of limited access to safe water.
“As people of Gerille we lived without water for 29 years,” retired chief Issack Ali said. “Due to this we faced problems in education and health sectors”
Lauding the imitative , the former local administrator said the water project had ended years of disappointment for residents.
“On behalf of Gerille people, we thank the British Embassy for helping us realise this borehole. We thank the county government and the national government and all the partners in the project,” Ali said.
The borehole was delivered through the UK-funded Deris Wanaag Programme in partnership with Kenya’s Ministry of Interior, Wajir County Government, the national government and the local community.
The launch ceremony was attended by Wajir South Member of Parliament Mohamed Adow, Northeastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno, local leaders and representatives of development partners.
Adow said the project addressed one of the most urgent needs facing his constituents.
“Today, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to Deris Wanaag and the British High Commission in Kenya for their generous support and partnership in making this important water project a reality for our people in Geriley location,” he said.
“This initiative is more than just a development project, it is a lifeline for our community. Access to clean and safe water is a basic human need and a fundamental right,” Adow added.
For years, residents relied on distant and unsafe water sources, forcing families to spend long hours searching for water.
“Today, because of this collaboration, many households can now quench their thirst with dignity and ease.” Adow added
Final Intervention
In a statement, the British Embassy said the Geriley borehole was the final intervention under the Deris Wanaag Project, a flagship programme aimed at enhancing peace and security in the Kenya–Somalia–Ethiopia borderlands.
“UK and Kenya celebrate the unveiling of Geriley Community Borehole in Wajir County, an intervention of the UK-funded Deris Wanaag programme,” the statement said.
The statement said local residents identified the borehole as a priority to help address climate shocks that worsen drought, water shortages and insecurity.
“The new Geriley community borehole was identified by local residents to help address effects of climate shocks that exacerbate recurring drought, water shortages and insecurities linked to scarcity,” it said.
The borehole is expected to provide reliable, clean and safe water for households and livestock while reducing competition over scarce resources and strengthening community stability.
Deris Wanaag Project Team Lead Ibrahim Hussein Somo said the borehole showed how community-driven priorities could shape development outcomes.
“This borehole is an example of how flexible and agile donor programming approaches can meaningfully address community and government priorities,” Somo said.
“Deris Wanaag was not expecting to deliver a borehole initiative, but the programme was able to tune into genuine needs on the ground and deliver for the people.”
Mr Ben Fisher, Head of the UK’s Integrated Security Fund and Senior Regional Conflict Advisor at British High Commission Nairobi, said long-term collaboration and community-led action were essential to addressing insecurity.
“The UK is pleased to work alongside the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, local leadership and communities through the Deris Wanaag Project,” Fisher said.
Wajir County Government supported technical assessments, hydrological surveys and the installation of a power generator to ensure sustainability and local ownership.
The Geriley borehole is expected to benefit about 3,500 households and 20,000 livestock, reducing reliance on unsafe cross-border water sources and easing pressure on women and pastoralists.
With UK funding of 2.5 billion Kenyan shillings, the Deris Wanaag Programme has combined security, development and peacebuilding, using conflict resolution, community dialogue, early warning systems and rapid response mechanisms alongside targeted interventions identified by Kenya’s Ministry of Interior.
