A number of households affected by floods in Bunyala Sub County have received support from the National government.
Speaking to the press at Bunyala DCC’s office premises on Monday, the Principal Secretary for ASALS and Regional Development, Kellow Harsama, said that the items consisted of 400 bags of rice, 720 bags of beans, and 20 bags of fortified foods.
“The government has also committed to providing iron sheets to those whose houses have been affected,” he said, adding that more support will be provided at the completion of the assessment.
Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary, Zacharia Njeru, said that a team from the NYS will be dispatched to the area within a period of less than two weeks to rectify the dykes as the government seeks a permanent solution for the flood menace.
‘We are here as government officials to assess the situation so that we can be able to come up with a permanent solution to the problem,” he said.
Njeru noted that some areas had been rendered impassable, some schools closed, some hospitals were non-operational, and some homes uninhabitable.
He further stated that the government has ensured that the water from the River Nzoia does not affect the local residents negatively through the Lower Nzoia Irrigation Project, which directs water to flow through the irrigation canals.
“The project is also important because farmers will be able to practice double cropping due to the continuous flow of water,” he said.
The official said at the same time that the cost of production of rice and other crops will be reduced because of the use of gravity to pump water instead of electricity.
Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo thanked the government for the quick intervention to support the local residents.
Omanyo noted that the flood situation has affected sanitation facilities and curtailed the availability of clean drinking water.
The victims who spoke at the forum called for a permanent solution to the flood menace so that they could engage in economic development instead of waiting for relief food.
At least 1747 households have been affected by floods in Bunyala, Samia, and Teso North Subcounties in Busia County.
By Salome Alwanda
