• A similar situation has engulfed a section of Ngoingwa Estate in Thika subcounty where several families have been locked in their homes by floods.
• Residents accuse leaders of neglect.
Over 100 families in Matangi-ini village in Juja subcounty woke up to flooded homesteads after an overnight downpour.
The residents spent Friday night in the cold after the floods mopped their houses. They accused local leaders of neglecting their plight saying they have been flooding victims for 10 years every rainy season.
The residents said their leaders have failed to dig trenches to drain floodwater from the village to the nearby Kiu River.
“After the Thika Superhighway was completed, rainwater was drained from Kimbo to our village. The contractor dug a trench but abandoned it halfway,” Monica Wangui said.
She said they have petitioned the Kiambu county government through their MCA Kuria Karema and the office of MP Francis Munyua aka Wakapee but no action has come forth to address their troubles.
“Our relentless efforts to seek help from our leaders have proved futile. Our MCA is nowhere to be seen. We understand that our MP is still struggling with health issues but he has his foot soldiers. We are not asking much but for a trench to be dug to drain water from our village,” Wangui said.
Wambui Kariuki said they are counting huge losses as floodwater has destroyed their farms and forced others to close their businesses. “Our farms are submerged and we expect no harvest this season. Our businesses have been rendered inaccessible and this is a problem that has been recurrent whereas we have leaders whom we trust to solve our problems,” she said.
Kariuki said they now face the risk of waterborne diseases noting that the floodwater is contaminated from septic sewers within their homes.
Community leader Pius Njoroge said residents will raise funds and dig the drainage trenches after losing hope in their leaders.
But an official from the office of the MP told the Star on the phone that they have already started assessing flood-prone areas across the subcounty with plans to mitigate the problem.
“We are mapping out areas that are affected by floods so that we can assist in properly draining the floodwater. We know our people are suffering and we hope other leaders will partner with us to end this problem,” the official said in confidence.
A similar situation has engulfed a section of Ngoingwa Estate in Thika subcounty where several families have been locked in their homes by floods.
The residents who spoke to journalists on Saturday said they have been abandoned by their leaders. “We went to the MP’s [Wainaina Jungle] over this matter and we were told that draining the floodwater to River Chania was the work of our MCA [Andrew Kimani]. The MCA then told us that the mandate was the MP’s. We wish they worked together to bring this problem to an end.”
Some of the residents who sought refuge in other areas after their homes were submerged claimed that criminals have taken advantage of the situation to break into their houses and loot furniture, electronics and other valuables.
“We have lost our properties to thugs under our leaders’ watch. We know the county government has a kitty for disaster management but they have remained mum on our plight despite our relentless calls for help,” Jacinta Mbiu told the Star.
Edited by R.Wamochie