The recent rains seem to have conspired to turn parts of Syokimau, Mlolongo, Kitengela and Athi River into a soggy quagmire that has made life difficult for residents. Many  experts believe poor planning, not the rains is to blame, writes PETER MUIRURI

Driving along the section of Mombasa Road from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport turn-off to Athi River interchange is a beautiful experience, thanks to the  upgrading project.

On both sides of the road, human developments dot the area as far as the eye can see. Manufacturing and mining industries, resort centres, and palatial homes now abound in an area that only a few years ago comprised grazing fields for both domestic and wild animals.

That, however, is as far as serenity goes. Off the highway, the recent rains seem to have conspired to turn parts of Syokimau, Mlolongo, Kitengela and Athi River into a soggy quagmire that has made life difficult for residents.

What is in ordinary times, a road in Syokimau.

The story is the same in places like Ruai, Ongata Rongai and Kiserian where the on-going rains have created temporary lakes leaving many residents marooned.

Consider the case of Doreen, a resident of Ngimo in Athi River. She had gone to buy vegetables in a local shopping centre when heavy rains started to pound the area. Unknown to her, the path connecting the shopping centre to her home was heavily flooded making her return impossible.

“I had left my husband and children at home in what was supposed to be a 30 minutes dash to the market. The relentless rains made it impossible for me to go back home and I had to spend the night in a Good Samaritan’s home,” says Doreen outside her waterlogged compound.

Desperate times

So bad is the situation that area residents have resorted to tying ropes between their homes and adjacent electric poles to use as support as they can never tell how deep the waters are.

Media reports from all over the country are replete with incidents of death and destruction of property caused by flooding especially in low lying areas, with many now living in fear of waterborne diseases. 

Many have blamed the ‘high’ amount of rainfall as the cause of the so-called natural disasters. But are they?

Juliet, who lives in Syokimau has seen it rain throughout her lifetime and dispels the notion that the chaos being witnessed around is as a result of ‘extra ordinary’ rains.

 According to Juliet, poor planning on the part of private developers and local civic authorities are directly to blame for the mess.

“We have an issue with Mavoko County Council for allowing people to build haphazardly without due regard to what would happen in case of flooding.

River course diverted

The authorities have watched as developers diverted the courses of rivers where storm water used to drain. People are risking their lives living on apartments that stand on waterlogged grounds,” says Juliet.

Some rogue contractors in the area have been dumping excavated black cotton soil on the open grounds. During heavy downpour, such soil has been washed away to the roads, blocking the entrances to peoples’ homes further complicating an already dire situation.

As Juliet adds, there is no logic in paying rates to Mavoko County Council yet the infrastructure remains in a pathetic state “then we blame the rains when reality of our actions hits home.”

Physical planners echo Juliet’s sentiments saying that most disasters can be predicted and mitigated.

“The rains have been there for many years. It is common knowledge that April, May and  June are rainy months in Kenya.

 

Planning failure

I blame our poor planning. I read some books about Nairobi planning that was prepared in the 1960s and so I think it did not account for the rising population evident now. No one then ever thought that residents of Nairobi would spread as far as Isinya and Ruai,” says Mark Boit, a Geospatial Information Systems expert.

According to a report entitled Kenya National Disaster Profile prepared by United Nations Development Program, many of the disasters caused by storm water can be anticipated and remedial measures put in place.

The report attributes destructive flooding to areas “where the capacity of the soil to absorb water is reduced due to erosion or existence of concrete or use of poor building materials leading to non-resistant structures and foundations that cannot withstand the running waters.”

This is indeed the case within Nairobi and adjacent low-lying areas aforementioned. Increasing populations have seen people inhabiting areas they should not such as riparian reserves and rocky slopes.

The result is that former grounds that drained storm water to the rivers are now covered with concrete with the remaining ground unable to absorb run-off water.

Says Boit: “I believe some of these areas were meant to be grazing fields and they had not been planned for real estate development. After purchasing the land, many people start developing immediately before the necessary infrastructure was put in place, such as the main drainage system. Without this in place, the area results in flooding during storm water.”

According to Boit, some form of infrastructural developments should be in place way before developers embark on construction projects. For example, the roads should be clearly defined and well designed with a good drainage system that allows storm water to flow without any problem.

Unnatural disaster

Most critical is to have a topographical assessment of the area since this will help in determining if a region is prone to flooding or not, whether it is in a water basin or near a seasonal river.

“All this will dictate the proper planning of the area, the systematic arrangement and right of way and hence reduce the chances of encroachments or sewer blockages,” says Boit

Our tour of waterlogged Athi River and surrounding areas revealed cases where some developers have diverted the cause of seasonal rivers and wondered how the relevant authorities licensed such projects.

Our efforts to contact National Environmental Management Authority’s Director General through the telephone were unsuccessful as he was said to be out of office. However sources within the department blamed some developers who have not fully complied with the terms of Nemas licensing agreement.

Experts say the country has no choice but to correct past mistakes irrespective of whether some people will have to be displaced — or else Kenyans will continue to  sit tight and wait for the next cycle of ‘natural’ disaster next season.


 

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