State steps up Nyando flood preparations as heavy rains loom

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 8 — The government has stepped up preparations to protect communities living along the Nyando River Basin from flooding as heavy rains threaten homes, livelihoods and infrastructure.

Principal Secretary for East African Community Affairs and Acting PS for ASALs and Regional Development Dr Caroline Karugu said the government was strengthening flood preparedness and response measures, including work on dykes and other flood-control interventions.

Karugu spoke during a visit to the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) in Kisumu, where she inspected the rice mill and poultry section as part of efforts to assess projects supporting livelihoods in the region.

She said the government was particularly concerned about communities in low-lying areas of the Nyando Basin that have repeatedly borne the brunt of flooding during heavy rains.

“We are looking at how best we can cushion the people of the Nyando River Basin because we know that when the rains come, there are communities that are affected,” she said.

Karugu said existing measures, including dyke interventions, would be strengthened while authorities identify weak points and improve flood-control infrastructure.

“We must not wait until disaster happens. We have to prepare early, work with the communities and make sure that the necessary interventions are in place,” she said.

The government is also expected to strengthen coordination on early warning, evacuation and emergency response to ensure residents at risk receive timely information and assistance.

The measures are aimed at protecting homes, farms, roads and other infrastructure while reducing losses among communities whose livelihoods depend heavily on agriculture.

Karugu said flood mitigation would also require close cooperation between the national and county governments, communities and relevant agencies, with longer-term interventions needed to improve resilience.

“Our responsibility is to make sure that development goes hand in hand with resilience, so that when we have challenges such as floods, our people are able to withstand them and recover quickly,” she said.

Karugu also inspected the LBDA rice mill, saying stronger processing and value addition would help farmers earn more from their produce while supporting food security.

“The rice mill is very important because it supports our farmers, enhances value addition and contributes to food security,” she said.

She later toured the poultry section, highlighting poultry farming as an avenue for improving household incomes and food security, particularly among women and young people.

“Poultry is another area where we can empower our people, especially young people and women, because it can provide income and improve household food security,” she said.

The government has previously undertaken dyke and flood-control works along the Nyando, where recurrent flooding has affected settlements and agricultural land.