Garissa Governor, Nathif Jama, has called on the National Government to come up with a permanent solution to divert some of River Tana waters to be of use in other dry areas, to avoid causing havoc in the downstream counties.
While Garissa has so far received little rains in this season, River Tana is now beginning to swell, as the water levels rise due to rains in the upstream counties.
River Tana originates from the slopes of Mount Kenya and parts of Aberdare mountains and flows eastwards to Garissa and Tana River counties, before pouring its waters into the Indian Ocean at the Tana Delta.
Some of the rivers that flow into River Tana include Chania, Thiba, Maragua and Thika rivers.
Over the last two years, hundreds of farmers along River Tana in Garissa and Tana River counties, have lost their lives and farms to floods.
The floods have further swept-off parts of the roads, especially the Garissa – Madogo road sections, which is still under reconstruction.
Last year, at 20 persons were swept away by raving floods in Garissa.
When the Massinga, Kiambere , Kamburu, Gitaru, and Kndaruma dams get full, the water is released, leading to flooding in the downstream counties.
Speaking during the celebrations of the Iddul-Fitr at the General Mohamud grounds in Garissa Sunday morning, Jama warned that the county has been suffering for far too long from rain and waters from other regions and that there is a need for a sustainable solution.
“What happens in Garissa every time we get rain blessings is that the people of this town and our farmers suffer heavily because of the dam water, which is released in the upstream of River Tana. We are telling the National government that we cannot keep on suffering due to floods sixty years on since independence.” Jama lamented.
“It is shameful that we have not been able to get a permanent solution when it comes to floods. We lack good will from the National government because we have made suggestions that the water be diverted to the northern parts of the country where there is a lack of water,” he added.
SUPKEM Secretary, Garissa branch, Sheikh Abdillahi Salat, called on the residents living along the river to move to higher grounds to avoid being marooned by the floods, while echoing the calls for a permanent solution.
By Erick Kyalo
