Poor planning is to blame for flood menace

At least 20 people have been reported dead and property worth millions of shillings lost following the heavy rains pounding the country. The weatherman had warned that the heavy El Nino rains were on the way.

And the government promised to set aside funds to mitigate the effects. Surprisingly, the President said the rains would not be El Nino but normal rains.

What Kenyans are going through right now is what happens when the authorities fail to plan. Admittedly,  many countries are suffering the effects of climate change. It is a phenomenon whose impact is felt all over the world because mankind has failed to protect the environment. In the Kenyan situation, however, the issue is lack of forward planning by the national and county governments.

The counties experiencing the heaviest toll of flooding are said to be 33, led by Mombasa. EAC, ASALs and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza has warned Kenyans to brace themselves for worse in the coming days.

The question is, why should we have weather forecasts if they are not to be believed by the authorities? The Kenya Meteorological Department has the expertise and know-how that the authorities should respect and believe. Looking at the damage occurring in some counties, the problem is a dire lack of proper infrastructure. It is a question of not learning from past mistakes.

Riparian lands

Poor drainage is the biggest issue when it comes to towns and cities. There is also the case of people building on natural surface waterways. Riparian lands have been encroached on with structures and buildings put up in prohibited zones.

This is an issue that should be addressed urgently lest we perish. Human settlements should be far from riparian areas. You notice that almost all the people being marooned, or drowning, live in areas meant to be natural water courses. The government has, over the years, allowed Kenyans to settle on lands meant to be reserved for environmental conservation and the results are what we are seeing. It is just like the case of wild animals’ natural paths, where humans and wildlife collide.

Planning to fail

It is said that failing to plan is planning to fail. This is the situation in Kenya. I concur with Ms Malonza that no Kenyan should suffer or sleep hungry due to floods. We should go back to the drawing board and establish where the rain started beating us.

Although the issue of erratic weather due to the global climate change is a contributing factor, poor forward planning in Kenya, from the counties to the national government, is responsible for the current situation. Infrastructure is what this country lacks when it comes to the control of stormwater. It will also be disappointing since when the dry season sets in, drought and famine will come calling.

The authorities never think of harvesting this water and storing it in dams and water pans.

Mr Kigo is an environmentalist. [email protected].