Busia governor Dr. Paul Nyongesa Otuoma has applauded the move by the head of state to provide a lasting solution to the residents of Budalangi who for many years were on headline for floods related problems.
Perennially, Budalangi’s has been used as reference to flood related challenges with many slamming the government for its failure to harvest and utilize the free-flowing water which wreak havoc to many lives.
The move by President William Ruto to put 10, 000 more acres of land under irrigation has been welcome with most of residents and leaders terming it as a game changer which aims at tapping the great potential in the area with rice plantation being the main option.
The implementation of the Sh6.9 billion Lower Nzoia Irrigation and Flood Mitigation project has received a boost following the issuance of more title deeds to residents who surrendered their land for the project.
The move is aimed at compensating the affected land owners who had slowed down the process of land acquisition by the National Land Commission (NLC).
Governor Otuoma spoke while addressing the press at Alupe noting that the issuing of tittle deeds will enable residents relocate to other places and trigger their economic progress to mitigate high poverty index stimulated by floods.
“As residents of Busia we must give credit to this regime of president Ruto for singling out Busia to address the mirage of poverty and un-employment occasioned by floods and adverse weather patterns,” noted Otuoma.
During his official development tour of the County last week, President Ruto said his administration will inject at least Sh2.9 billion in the project on top of Sh4 billion that was committed to rehabilitate dykes and a 33-kilometre canal running across the site.
Phase 1 of the project meant to boost the country’s food security and avert floods in Siaya and Busia counties will take advantage of over 30,000 acres of land that will be put under rice farming.
The President is set to launch the construction of Southern Dyke aimed at controlling the periodic floods in Musoma and Mau Mau Market from the backflow of Lake Victoria.
Other projects include the laying of the foundation stone for the construction of canals under phase 1 by the head of state, Lot two of the Lower Nzoia Irrigation Project (LNIP) at Mundika B, in the Bunyala sub-county.
Already, 22 km of the 31-kilometer-long canal, which connects Busia and Siaya counties is complete with the remaining 9 km expected to be completed before the end of this year.
Upon completion, the project is expected to increase the land under cultivation to more than 20,000 acres of rice which will bolster food production and enable farmers to venture into other food crops.
The project will enable water to flow downstream using gravity, reducing the cost of production incurred by pumping water to rice fields.
Phase II of LNIP will give Busia County an additional area under irrigation of approximately 6500 acres while Siaya County will have approximately 3500 acres.
With mitigated backflow, Bunyala will slowly turn into an agricultural hub to offer alternative to Mwea, Bura and Ahero irrigation schemes in line with the government manifesto of reducing importation of food items.
“On behalf of the people of Budalang’i, I sincerely appreciate the President for taking into account my pledge to get us a Water Master Dredger from the Ministry of water to help us with desilting our rivers, pledging to come back later in the year to officially Commission the Tarmac of Rwambwa-Mau Mau Road and ensuring we get the Sh32 million for the renovation of Jaramogi University (JOOUST) Bunyala Campus,” said the governor.
By Absalom Namwalo
