Leaders from Tana River urges government to construct mega dams to harvest all the running waters wrecking havoc during torrential rains
They also accused KeNHA and KenGen over the dilapidated status of their roads, accusing KenGen over failure to harvest and convert tana river waters into power
Members of Parliament from Tana River County are now calling for immediate government’s intervention to address the current crisis and prevent future disasters in the region
The leaders want urgent humanitarian support following a tragic incident in Mwororo where 20 people went missing after being swept away by raging waters while crossing a flooded road in a boat. So far, only three bodies have been retrieved.
Addressing media in Parliament Buildings on Monday 29th April, led by Senator Danson Mungatana, the leaders urged the government, specifically President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, to assist the affected residents.
They emphasized the need for better dissemination of information to the public, as they believe the notice for such disasters is often too short.
Additionally, they requested funding for the construction of dams to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Tana River Women representative Amina Dika, also stressed the importance of finding a long-term solution for the region, as residents continue to suffer from flooding during rainy seasons and lack of water during dry spells.
She specifically highlighted the risk of a cholera outbreak among affected residents.
Area Member of Parliament Yakub Adow criticized the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA) for poor maintenance of roads in the area, attributing the tragic deaths to their negligence.
He urged people across the country to avoid crossing moving waters for their safety.
“Someone will be forgiven for thinking that was a River, it’s a road, in fact a major road which is connecting Tana River and Garissa and even other counties but KenHA failed to reconstruct it to the standard that can escape the running waters,” Yakub stated
Recounted many times leaders from the region have visited KeNHa but nothing forth happening
He charged both KenHA and KenGen should take full responsibility and compensate for all the losses incurred by the floods