A group comprising elders, residents, and human rights advocates in Isiolo County has urged both the county and national governments to take immediate action to extinguish a fire that ignited three days ago in Merti Sub County, which has already devastated over ten square kilometers of grazing land.
Under the leadership of Mohamed Konso, chairperson of the Borana Council of Elders, the group expressed grave concerns regarding potential widespread livestock fatalities and the destruction of homes and local institutions if the fire is not swiftly controlled.
The blaze, which originated in Merti, has already affected grazing areas utilized by herders in Matarba, Korbesa, and Malkagalla, and is now advancing towards Iresaboru, Badana, and Sericho. There are increasing worries that if the fire continues to spread unchecked, it may soon encroach upon residential zones, leading to further devastation.
Konso emphasized that despite the fire burning for over 72 hours, there has been no governmental response to address the situation. He urged both the national and county authorities to treat this disaster as an emergency and act promptly to extinguish the flames before they reach inhabited areas.
While the exact cause of the fire remains undetermined, it is believed to be accidental. Abdullahi Hajj Gonjobe, a Borana elder, suggested that herders may have inadvertently left a cooking fire unattended in the bushes, and noted that local herders also engage in wild honey harvesting, which could have contributed to the outbreak.
The elders highlighted that the amount of pasture already lost to the fire could have sustained both livestock and wildlife for an additional two years. The repercussions of this disaster are expected to significantly impact the livelihoods of the local community in the foreseeable future.
They pointed out that local residents have made considerable efforts to combat the fire, but their attempts have been unsuccessful due to a lack of adequate equipment. The community has appealed to the government to act swiftly and deploy aircraft to expedite the firefighting efforts before further damage occurs.
