By Christopher Omondi.
Kisumu County is actively confronting the pressing challenges of natural calamities and disasters driven by climate change, particularly floods and droughts. These crises stem from the county’s geographical vulnerabilities and rapid urbanization, resulting in the displacement of thousands of families forced to seek shelter elsewhere.
The Kisumu County government has initiated essential measures to bolster flood management and mitigation. It is collaborating with stakeholders, the National Government, and non-governmental organizations while investing in critical infrastructure development, promoting public awareness campaigns, and executing climate change mitigation and relief efforts. Nonetheless, the ongoing displacement of residents, especially in the severely impacted areas of Nyando, Nyakach, and Muhoroni, underscores the urgent need to overcome the obstacles that hinder effective disaster management in Kisumu County.
Alice Achieng, a resident, emphasizes, “The primary challenge lies in our demographic location. The closeness of affected areas to Lake Victoria and the River Nyando, combined with the low elevation of the Kano Plains in Nyando, significantly heightens flood risks. Rainwater accumulates in these regions, causing severe disruptions. Furthermore, we grapple with inadequate drainage management due to insufficient infrastructure, funding shortfalls, and limited community engagement—issues that the County Government of Kisumu has not adequately addressed. In Nyando, our educational activities face interruptions, leading many schools to close because of flooding. Most drainage initiatives stem from individuals or organizations, with minimal support from the government, which tends to deliver relief food only post-flooding. Many residents are migrating to safer locations like the Nyamasao camp in Ombaka, Nyando Sub-county, which is currently accommodating over 1,500 villagers seeking refuge from floods. However, this camp is ill-equipped to provide for them, exacerbating their risk of communicable diseases and other health issues. Earlier commitments from the national government regarding the resettlement of flood victims remain unfulfilled. While there have been discussions about allocating land on higher ground, this has yet to materialize, even as lives and properties continue to be lost to these disasters.”
To tackle these pressing issues, residents in Kakola Ombaka in Ahero demand that the County Government adopt various solutions. Ken Juma, another resident, firmly asserts, “The Kisumu County government must implement systems that anticipate disasters and enable timely alerts, such as investing in advanced weather forecasting. It is imperative to enhance community participation through comprehensive education and awareness campaigns about the calamities impacting us here in Ombaka. Additionally, the county government should allocate significant resources for disaster management initiatives and infrastructure development to ensure the safety and well-being of our community.
