Kakamega steps up floods mitigation measures as three die

Kakamega county has stepped up mitigation measures against flooding that has ravaged several parts of the county.

Three people have been killed by the floods in the past week in the county.

A doctor was swept away by flood waters as he tried to cross a swollen river in Shinyalu while a toddler drowned in Lugari constituency as it crawled after its mother.

One person also died in a collapsed gold mining shaft in Ikolomani even after the county government suspended mining activities.

Several amenities including schools, households, hospitals and bridges have been destroyed and crops swept away by the floods.

Kakamega deputy governor Ayub Savula said more than 1,000 households, mainly around the county’s major rivers, have been affected by the floods and mudslides.

Savula said some of the affected schools include Zion Academy and Misimo Primary School in Kabras South and Maungu Primary School in Lugari.

Most affected areas include Ikoli, Khuvasali, Lukokho in Malava subcounty, Mukhalanya, Makaba, Chebusai, Muhono, Chenjeni, and Lupere in Lugari, Bumamu, Ebutai in Butere, Ivonda in Ikolomani and Shibale, Ematiti, Musango, Butobe, Bungasi, Wang’nyang’ and Utende in Mumias West.

Others are Shilalyo and Mukumu areas in Shinyalu and all wards in Ikolomani subcounty.

In Khuvasali, around the Nandi escarpment, residents have witnessed mudslides that have displaced several families.

“There is a looming landslide in Khuvasali hills and we are calling upon the residents to immediately move to safe grounds to avoid deaths,” Savula said.

He said the county's emergency response team is on high alert to address possible incidents ahead of schools reopening on Monday.

Kakamega County Commissioner Meru Mwangi said even though the situation is not dire, the multisectoral committee had come up with a budget to cater for food items, unblocking of drainages, fight disease outbreak, destruction and awareness.

“We stand out for a high risk of malaria and water borne diseases outbreak in the affected areas. But we have a budget of Sh260 million to mitigate the challenges,” Mwangi said.

The county is also at a high risk of hunger after food crops were destroyed by the ravaging water in the affected regions.

Savula asked the national government to release funds to the counties for infrastructure development in the affected areas.

He said Kakamega is yet to receive allocation from the shareable revenue for the months of February, March and April.

“We need drugs, repair of roads and bridges and other emergencies. We also need to pay bursary for some of the affected school children. We can only manage this if the national treasurer releases the allocation to counties,” he said.