Garissa County Governor Nathif Jama Adam, who is allied to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, has urged the national government to develop mechanisms to ensure that there is a lasting solution to the River Tana flooding.
Addressing the media on Sunday, March 31, the Governor said that the river's recurrent flooding, which he labeled as a 'shame,' has cost farmers in Garissa County and the Northern Region at large for more than six decades, and swift action needs to be taken.
According to Jama, the delay of action from the national government to prevent flooding is a sign of a 'lack of goodwill'.
"Every year, when we get the blessing of rain, what happens in Garissa is that our farmers suffer heavily because of the dams being released upstream, so the floods destroy our farms," he said.
Jama said that the national government should develop proper drainage systems that will ensure that flood water from the Tana River is diverted and utilised for agriculture in the Northern part of the country.
"We have suggested that the water before it hits Garissa county, the flood water can be diverted to the Northern part of the country, where water is scarce so that we can have farming activities going on therein in addition to the ones going on on the river banks. But the current situation is unacceptable because no farming activities are going on, and the water is going to waste," he said.
The Governor's sentiments come days after the Water Resources Authority (WRA) issued a flooding alert to Kenyans, especially in the North Eastern Region, following the rainy season that the country is currently experiencing.
According to WRA, in a statement on Thursday, March 27, most rivers across the country, especially River Tana, are approaching the flood alarm state.
According to the authority, the floods were likely to be witnessed from Thursday, March 27, to Monday, March 31, in several regions across the country.
According to WRA, water levels in the Tana River at Garissa had risen rapidly above the 4-meter flood alarm threshold by Thursday.
Furthermore, WRA said that other Counties including Kitui, Isiolo, Meru, and Tharaka Nithi, should be on the lookout for flooding instances.
Additionally, data from KenGEN indicated that Kiambere dam levels, the last in the Seven Folk Dams cascade, were 8 meters below full supply capacity on Thursday at 5 am.
''Tana River at Garissa recorded a sharp water level spike in the last 24 hours, bringing the levels to an alarm state. With the rains currently experienced in the Mid Tana areas of Kitui, Isiolo, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, and Garissa Counties, it is expected that the flows will increase significantly,'' it stated.
