Lobby group People with Disabilities in Garissa is rallying its members to move out of out flood-prone areas in time.
Mohamed
Ibrahim, a polio survivor at Bulla Nyuki in Galbet subcounty, said even though
the March-April long rain season is over, they are not yet safe.
“We are all
aware what the floods have done to us in the past. It is a sad story. Lives
have been lost, people displaced and property worth millions destroyed,” he
said.
“As PWDs it
is even worse because it always a rush against time to save yourself from the
ravaging floods.”
He said the
recent alert by KenGen urging residents on the River Tana and other lowlands in
Garissa county to move to higher grounds is what prompted their outreach.
On Friday
last week, the power-generating company warned of a spillover from dams due to
high water levels, particularly in the Seven Forks Cascade.
“While
Masinga Dam has not yet spilled, it is operating near its maximum capacity and
KenGen is monitoring the situation closely,” KenGen said in a statement.
“The
government is also issuing flood warnings and encouraging residents near dams
to move to higher ground.”
Mohamed
said the PWDs group wants to save its members from disaster.
“They say
it is the wearer of the shoe who knows where it pinches most,” he said.
Mohamed
said they will conduct outreach visits to PWDs in Garissa town.
He said that he was inspired by the challenges he encountered after the River Tana floods marooned his home in Bulla Nyuki during the December 2023 El Nino rains.
Mohamed resolved to create an advocacy group that sensitises PWDs and seeks
wheelchairs for them to ease their mobility during floods.
“These
visits are deeply personal, driven by the experiences we encountered during the
past Garissa floods,” he said.
Group official
Zamzam Ibrahim, 23, said they have heard horror stories from PWDs during
their outreach.
“We have
come across our members who tell us very sad and disheartening stories of
neglect and suffering from the same government that should be taking care of
them in times of need,” she said.
Zamzam said
some victims have no wheelchairs to help them evacuate during the floods.
She appealed to well-wishers to come forward and help in providing wheelchairs to the vulnerable group as well as prioritise them when it comes to distribution of both food and non-food items.
The Kenya Red Cross is also currently conducting awareness campaigns in Garissa town to reduce the impact of the expected river floods.
