Let’s blame the rain gods, ourselves for deluge woes

Long time ago, rains were a blessing. They would turn the land lush and both animals and humans would have plenty to eat. Farmers in rural areas and residents of dusty urban centres would celebrate at the mere sight of gathering clouds.

Not any more. Today, Kenyans look at gathering clouds with trepidation. To most people, clouds are harbinger of disorder, destruction and death. Rains has become a necessary evil. And for a good reason.

The ongoing rains have already claimed over 30 lives and left hundreds homeless. Besides, the deluge has spewed untold suffering across the country. Roads have been rendered impassable, traffic jams have become the order of the day for urbanites, electricity has become erratic than ever before and some sewer lines gone a burst, thanks to the rains.

But Kenyans should do more than sitting back and cursing the rain gods. Although climate has gone haywire, we can and must, individually and collectively, mitigate the impact of downpours. It is foolhardy to allow nature to be turning our lives upside down every other  year.