Camps of displaced families in Bunyala sub county.

 Busia,

Sunday September 17, 2023

KNA by Absalom Namwalo   

Busia Women Representative Catherine Omanyo has urged the government to address the perennial flooding issues in Bunyala sub county, amid the impending El Nino rains, as per advisory from the meteorological department. 

Omanyo now wants the government to settle or find alternative solutions for over 300 households who were displaced since 2020 and have pitched camp since then, pushing them into abject poverty during these hard economic times. 

Speaking during the launch of Mama Shelter Initiative, aimed at constructing houses for the families in Bunyala, whose homes were swept away by the floods, the legislator challenged the government to urgently address Lake Victoria backflow that has rendered many families homeless in the area.

  “It’s ironic that we speak of disaster in Nairobi, yet very little implementation is directed towards the affected families. The backflow from the lake is the main cause of flooding in this area,” said Omanyo. 

She appealed to the county and national disaster management committee to visit and assess the situation before it gets out of control.

  "As a stop-gap measure, the government needs to provide water bowsers and mobile toilets to schools and villages to avoid a cholera outbreak as the water levels in River Nzoia have begun rising " noted Omanyo.

The Kenya Meteorological Department has issued a warning about heavy rains expected this year from September to January 2024. 

According to the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) reports, an El Niño event is likely to occur during the upcoming October-November-December (OND) season.

The rainfall season in Eastern Africa during OND is influenced by two significant events: the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). 

Consequently, with heavy downpour already being witnessed in most parts of western region, there might be extreme weather events, including flash floods, riverine floods, mudslides, and backflow along Lake Victoria. 

“The situation could also lead to additional displacements, even as hundreds are already displaced due to the 2020-2023 drought, and in extreme cases, there might be a loss of lives,” narrated Omanyo. 

Roseline Akinyi from Mudoma area was among those the beneficially of new semi-permanent houses through the office of women rep Busia. She couldn’t hide her joy as she has a place to call home. 

“I thank Omanyo for coming through before the rains begin. Life in the camp is not easy with this economy especially if you have a large family. We don’t need food relief food, what we want in Bunyala is economic empowerment,” said Akinyi. 

On the other hand, Grimanus Otuka's family is one of hundreds displaced after the recent flooding.

He attributed lack of timely interventions as the leading cause of yearly displacement in the area. 

"We are continually rebuilding our houses only for the floods to affect us again," said Otuka, adding, "We keep losing our property. We are always starting from scratch,". 

With national examination just a month away, Omanyo now fears the candidates will be greatly affected which might not give them the same grounds as others who will remain fully in school. 

“We have children sitting for the class 8, Grade 6 and form 4 examinations at the end of the year and we are worried about their performance in the national exams,” she said.

Courtesy; KNA