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Cut off by floods, Garissa residents panic-buy food and fuel

Near-empty shelves, as pictured on May 5, 2024, at the Hallmark Supermarket in Garissa, where residents are panic-buying food and other commodities in fear of a shortage as rains have cut off key link roads. (Photo: Issa Hussein)

By Issa Hussein | 05 May 2024

Business people in Garissa town say they are unable to restock their empty shelves as the Garissa-Nairobi highway has been cut off.

Garissa County residents are panic-buying fuel and food in fear of a shortage as heavy rain and floods have cut off key link roads used by suppliers.

Business people in Garissa town told The Eastleigh Voice that they were unable to restock their empty shelves as the Garissa-Nairobi highway has been cut off at the Kona Punda section for a week now. The River Tana burst its banks.

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Abdiwahab Abdullahi, the director of Hallmark Supermarket in Garissa town, said the shelves were getting empty with members of the public rushing to stock up.

"People learned a lesson during the El Nino rains when roads were rendered impassible and there was a serious food and fuel crisis," he said, adding that the Lamu road that connects Garissa to Mombasa through Masalani town was also affected by the overflow of water from the River Tana.

A view of the Garissa Junction Hass Petroleum Station and supermarket as pictured on May 5, 2024. (Photo: Issa Hussein)

Abdiwahab said they had the options of the Garissa-Meru and Garissa-Isiolo roads, but noted the distances were long and the journeys, therefore, more costly.

Abdirashid Yusuf, manager of the Garissa Junction Hass Petroleum Station and supermarket, said they were running out of essential commodities and that nearly all petrol stations in Garissa would end up with little to no fuel due to the panic buying.

"We fear using boats since many lost their properties during the El Nino rains to a gang that was harassing and robbing them at Kona Punda. If the water fails to subside in the coming days, Garissa town will be in a serious crisis," Abdirashid said.

He said their only option, should they use the long alternative routes, was to increase food prices.

Hassan Abdille, a bank manager in Garissa, said he joined the rest of the public in panic-buying food to save himself a crisis.

"We learned a lesson during the El Nino rains. We are not taking chances and will buy food, even if it is just dry maize and beans. We are worried," he said.

Mohamed Noor, a school teacher in Garissa town, also expressed fears about the situation, noting he had to stock up as he had a family to take care of.

A spot check by The Eastleigh Voice found that several petrol stations, supermarkets, and convenience stores were running out of commodities. Some of the petrol stations were only selling diesel and petrol.

At the Heller Petrol Station in Garissa town, a staff member said, "We ordered fuel and might use the Meru-Madogashe route to get it so we can refill our empty tanks."

The public is also dealing with a shortage of vegetables. Halima Hassan, a trader at the Garissa grocery market, said she had not received vegetables from Thika town since the floods cut off the Garissa-Nairobi Highway.

She added that local suppliers could not access their farms because they were covered in water.