• Kenyans are enduring poor planning by government and ravages of climate change
Image: FILE
The recent flooding in some parts of the Kenyan capital has left most citizens crying at the damage in the aftermath. Houses and streets in Nairobi’s suburbs were drowned in the treacherous waters after a whole day of heavy downpour.
The power station that served the Nairobi West and South C areas was also flooded, causing a whole night-and-day blackout in the affected areas. It was only when disaster struck that people remembered to question the proper planning of the city and its drainage systems.
As I watched the videos of the flooded area, which coincidentally serves as my second home when I am in Nairobi, I was furious. Where people saw poor drainage systems, I saw a missed opportunity. I thought about the endless possibilities that the water would serve had it been properly channelled into distributaries that would have carried it to the correct catchment areas. In a country with two rain seasons and a mostly hot equatorial climate, we often miss taking advantage of the few opportunities that come our way.
Kenya has a rich geographical landscape, yet it often falls short of building sustainable resources that will benefit its people. Whenever the government plans on building dams that will help increase the limited water supply in major towns and cities, the only outcome is scandals that are riddled with corruption and mismanagement. Yet these same people tasked with the construction of these dams live in the same neighbourhoods that get flooded by rainwater and these same people complain of the limited tap water supply.
It becomes frustrating as a citizen to watch the poor governance of our country's government sectors, especially those that provide basic supplies, water and sanitation. In the rain season, floods replace tarmacked roads, in the dry season, burst sewage systems leak into the streets, eventually corroding the tarmac on the roads. The rains are here for a limited time only, and we are missing the occasional opportunity of harvesting as much rainwater as we can for our people and our agricultural practices.
Meanwhile in Mombasa, the effects of global warming are becoming apparent by the day. The much-awaited long rains failed to show up as predicted by the meteorological department and as expected by the locals. Locals who had started planting in their farms in early April are left blinking confusedly at the clear blue skies. The dry season that spans the months of December to March seems to be on an elongated staycation in the coastal region. At a whopping 31 degrees, even those who do not fancy the wet seasons are wishing for some signs of rain.
Ever since I was a child, the April/May rain season has always been my favourite. I would fall asleep at the pat pat sounds of the rains on the iron roofs, the joyous crocking of frogs and harmonious chirps of crickets. I spent many childhood days splashing in rain puddles and fishing for tadpoles. Never in my 33 years of living has it missed to rain in the Coast during these months.
What are the consequences of the delayed rains in the region? Coming from an extremely hot and dry season, most lands are dried up and the earth is deprived of nutrients needed for farming. That means that with the limited rains during the planting season, the region’s agricultural production will be at an all-time low. This could lead to serious food shortages and famine during the next dry season.
Mango and coconut production, which are the region’s leading exports, have also dwindled exponentially. These fruit trees require a lot of water. I keep watching the mango trees wherever I go, noticing that the trees are flowering as per custom but the fruit refuses to thrive in the unexpected dry conditions. In my view, the best part of the rain season in the Coast has always been the richness of mangoes.
Water supply in the Coast is also a huge problem. Most residents resort to digging wells in their properties for reliable water supply. Municipality water supply is a rare and precious thing in Mombasa. Water is supplied two or three days in a week, sometimes we will not receive any tap water for weeks! Most residents had been looking forward to the rain season to harvest rainwater as well as replenish the groundwater for their wells. However, the climate change has left us all in a daze, wondering what will happen in the wake of the extended drought.