Flood victims blame unfinished project

A Sh6 billion irrigation project in Homa Bay County has been blamed for flooding, which has forced 200 families out of their homes.

The families that hail from a number of villages in Central Karachuonyo location, Karachuonyo Constituency left their homes on Monday morning after heavy rains pounded the area causing River Awach to burst its banks.

They have now pitched tents at Simbi Kogembo Dispensary in Kogembo Sub-location, a situation that has put them in dire need of humanitarian aid.

“All my foodstuffs and food crops were destroyed by the floods,” said Jecinter Juma.

Ms Juma is among scores of others suffering from the adverse effects of floods in the area.

The Lake Region Economic Bloc Adviser on Covid-19, Louis Otieno, said the villagers’ suffering had made him purchase relief food for them. He provided the residents with 720 kilogrammes of maize and 540kg of rice on Thursday.

• .

  Keep Reading

• 
  End of an era: No more Form One admissions as reforms start
• 
  Seven hotel workers arrested over death of university student
• 
  Loss as leopards kill farmer's 198 goats
• 
  Homa Bay residents oppose new sub-county

“I have decided to intervene with the support to reduce the residents’ suffering. Meanwhile, long-term solutions should be found to cushion them from the adverse effects of climate change,” he said.

When we visited the camp, the families said their tribulations were orchestrated by the Kimira Oluch Smallholder Farm Improvement Project (Kosfip) and River Awach, which broke its banks.

Kosfip is currently 86 per cent complete. Residents say the incomplete parts of the project was a major contributor to floods in the area.

According to Peter Obuya, the incomplete canals lead to poor drainage, which causes flooding.

“The irrigation canals direct large volumes of water. When the water reaches a point with incomplete canals, the water loses direction and causes floods in people’s homes,” Obuya said. 

Others said some canals have been silted, causing spillage of water to unwanted areas. The residents urged the government to release funds to facilitate completion of the irrigation project.

James Orinda noted residents were not opposed to the project, but wanted the government to complete it so that it does not flood their homes.

They also called on the government to create a proper drainage for River Awach so that it cannot affect them in future.

Kosfip Senior Agronomist Amos Amenya said they had received the complaints.

“We have advised farmers to always clean up canals to prevent siltation. The problem mainly occurs in areas where construction has not been completed,” Amenya said.

The floods have impeded learning at Simbi Mixed Secondary and Simbi Primary schools.

The school principal, Moses Oliech, said the floods had put the lives of his students at risk.