Diana Achieng, a resident of Iftin , speaking to the press./STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Ali
Ismail, a businessman at the Garissa market, speaking to the press./STEPHEN ASTARIKO
An incomplete calvert full of rainwater in Bula Iftin, Garissa sub county./STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Tenants outside their residential houses in Bula Iftin were submerged in water following a heavy downpour./STEPHEN ASTARIKOResidents of Garissa town and its environs are counting losses following a downpour that lasted several hours.
The town has been experiencing heavy rain for two days.
The downpour that began at around 4 am on Sunday saw floodwaters sweep through homes, roads and businesses, leaving some premises submerged.
The morning torrent brought most parts of the town to a standstill, with major streets rendered impassable.
A spot check of many residential houses, especially on the outskirts of the town and in the Garissa market, showed residents wading through floodwaters.
Residents and business owners, who tried to salvage what they could, said poor drainage systems and a lack of water outlets hindered the flow of rainwater.
Diana Achieng’, a resident of Iftin, said she was woken up by the waters that had already gained access to her house, adding that nothing was salvaged.
“As you can see, my house is completely submerged in flood waters. I am here standing with my three young children, not knowing what to do or where to go. I am suffering from a problem that is not of my own making. Somebody somewhere decided to be incompetent in his work and these are the results,” she said.
Josephine Mbandi, who also had many of her household items destroyed, called on the national and county governments to move with speed and address the situation.
“We are where we are because the contractors working on this particular road failed to provide adequate drainage channels, resulting in stagnant water and frequent flooding whenever it rains,” Mbandi said.
“Now the question is, now that the rain is here with us for weeks to come, will the relevant authorities come and fix this problem that they created, or will we be left on our own as has always been the case?” she added.
Residents also accused the national and county governments of taking the matter lightly despite its recurrence, adding that a permanent solution ought to have been found.
Rashid Aden criticised the Kenya Urban Roads Authority for failing in its mandate, which resulted in losses.
“I want to single out Kura for blame because all along, we know whenever such a project is done, they must be there to ensure that the standards are maintained. They give out contracts, but no one follows up to see if the work is done properly. If they were serious, we wouldn’t be in this mess every rainy season,” he said, adding no one will compensate those affected.
Ali Ismail, a businessman at the Garissa market, stated: “This downpour has once again exposed our town’s vulnerability to flooding—a recurring problem that residents say has been ignored for far too long. Every rainy season we must be affected.”
“The people we expect to fix the problem seem unbothered while we continue to suffer. The time has come for people to get serious with their jobs because we pay taxes and deserve better services,” Ismail added.
