Busia Governor Paul Otuoma has appealed to the National Government to dispatch the National Youth Service (NYS) and the military with a view to address the broken dyke at Kanyaboli Oxbow Lake in Siaya County.
Speaking during a visit to the site on Tuesday, Otuoma noted that lake was draining very fast due to the broken dyke hence the need for immediate intervention failure to which it degenerates to a big catastrophe
“It has created an environmental and human disaster downstream in Budalangi where two wards have been submerged,” he said, adding that schools and farms in the areas are currently under water.
Dr Otuoma noted that the bridge has been blocked over the years adding that there is no station to control the waters at the Ox bow lake.
“I want to thank Lake Agro (an investor near the Yala swamp) for availing their trucks to control the speed of the flow of water so that we can save livelihoods downstream in Budalangi,” he said.
Busia Acting County Commissioner, Kipchumba Ruto said his team will appeal to the NYS and the military through the Regional Commissioner to bring engineers to the ground to remedy the situation.
Ruto reiterated that settlements and crops in Bunyala Sub County have been affected and the water levels in the Lake was receding.
“This is the most important ecosystem in our Republic so we appeal to those persons who can assist us to solve the problem,” he said, adding that they are also going to approach the National government which is better equipped to address the problem.
Ibrahim Onyango, an honorary western conservator in charge of Busia and Siaya counties said that there is need for a permanent solution to the problem affecting Lake Kanyaboli.
“This is because Lake Kanyaboli is the second largest ox bow lake in Africa but is likely to dry up because of water overflowing towards the swamp,” he said adding that the Lake should have a permanent inlet and outlet to control the volume of water inside it.
Onyango noted that the broken dyke has affected not only human settlements but also plants and animals in both Busia and Siaya Counties.
Lake Kanyaboli is a lake in the Yala swamp in Western Kenya. It is important as a refuge for fish species that have almost disappeared from Lake Victoria.
By Salome Alwanda
