THE RETURN OF WATER HYACINTH HAMPER NAVIGATION IN LAKE VICTORIA AS RAINS FLOOD RENDERING THOUSANDS HOMELSS IN NYANZA

               By Leo Odera Omolo
                   KISUMU
                   Kenya
                   29/12/2006
 
  Apart from submerging homes in villages which are laying low along the shores of Lake Victoria, the rising flood waters have caused havoc for both humans and marine lives.
 
  Nearly the entire Kavirondo Gulf is now covered by the dreadful water hyacinth blocking the navigation routes for steamers using Kisumu pier for the
transportation of cargoes destined to several landlocked states in East and
Central Africa.
 
  The  wide spread of water hyacinth has also blocked the fishing routes in
several fish landing beaches in Nyando, Kisumu and Rachuonyo districts.
 
  The weed has now covered water  in the entire narrow tip of the Eastern
shoreline of Lake Victoria separating Kisumu Airport and the main town centre.
 
  The small Port of Kisumu, though partly abandoned by the former Kenya Railways Cooporation ,which has now been transformed  into the Rift Valley Railways following its change of hand from a government parastatal to private   investors from South Africa multinational company, which acquired it three months ago, still remains the most important gateway to East Africa.
 
  Traders and businessmen from the neighboring Uganda ,Rwanda, Burundi, Nothern Tanzania  and Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are known to be using the Kisumu Port for cheaper transportation of imports and exports.  The use of water going vessels ships and steamers is said to be relatively cheaper than the use of road transport system.
 
  Engineers at the Kisumu Pier told this writer that the presence of water
hyacinth has hampered the business because larger steamers cannot dock at the
port for the purpose of off-loading and loading their imports and export cargos.
 
  The invasion of water hyacinth weed followed the heavy rains, which have
pounded most parts of highlands west of the Rift Valley in recent weeks. The
rains have caused many major rivers to burst their banks flooding the villages,
which are located down streams. It has also washed away many bridges hindering the movement of vehicles
 
  Several culverts on the main Ahero-Oyugis-Kisii road have been washed away making Kisumu  City inaccessible by road from Sondu town located on the Nyando- Kericho borders. This is now forcing many motorists driving from Oyugis to Kisumu to divert to Kericho via Kapsoit, adding a distance of nearly 100 kilometers to their trip. Public vehicles plying this route have also increased
their fares to almost double.  
 
  In Migori district, Kuja River burst its banks flooding several villages in
North and Central Kadem. Many houses were submerged in Kabuto,Wath On'ger and Nyakweri areas and the Provincial and Police authorities in the district have repeated the appeal to the residents to move to the higher grounds or to take shelter with relatives living in the safer areas.
 
  A small Ongoche river has flooded the entire South Kadem and washed away
several bridges linking Migori and Muhuru Bay Trading Centre, which is located on the shores of Lake Victoria .Muhuru is the main source of  fish being
processes at an ultra fish processing plant in Migori town.
 
  Both Oluch and Awach rivers in Rachuonyo and Homa-Bay districts have also burst their banks and caused floods in the villages downstream. The flood
waters have caused a lot of casualties in  domesticated animals such and sheeps, goats, chicken. Close to 2000 families in  Kochia and Karachuonyo have been rendered homeless.
 
  Miriu River which links Nyando and Rachuonyo district in South West Nyakach has also flooded both sides of its banks in Sango Nyakach and East Karachuonyo areas. There is general fear of possible outbreak of water born diseases and cholera epidemics though several teams from Red Cross and volunteers are already in the field monitoring the situation and supplying the victims with anti malarial drugs, blankets and food.
 
  The situation is even worse in Kano Plain where Nyando River has bursts its
banks over the weekend following torrential rains which have pounded the area
incessantly for the last two weeks.
 
  A small Awach river linking Katito and Ahero has flooded a large area in lower Nyakach around Rae  Girls Secondary   School sending the villagers fleeing to higher grounds. This is also the section which has washed away the bridge linking Ahero and Katito while river Ombei has destroyed the major bridge linking Ahero and Miwani towns.
 
  Most villages located below Ahero town were by yesterday submerged in the
rising waters of River Nyando.Vilages affected are Apondo, Ayweyo  and Kabonyo in Kadibo Division of Nyando. The situation has been described by the residents as a major catastrophe.
 
  Nzoia  River as usual has flooded a large area in Budalangi in Bunyala, Busia
district forcing hundreds of families to flee their homes. Unless the rains
subside, more villages will be submerged in the waters within the next twenty
four hours.
 
  The flooding waters also brought poisonous snakes and other dangerous vermins which have since become real menace to the residents.
 
  Nyanza politicians have blamed the government for laxity and lack of effective
coordination of relief food supplies to the victims.
 
  Dr. Oburu Oginga, the MP for Bondo who said he had encountered a lot of
difficulties accessing Kisumu from Nairobi, appealed to the government to rush
relief supplies of blankets, drugs, food and medicines to the affected populations.
 
  "The government should send teams of medics to the affected areas to assess
the medical requirements", he said. "Many people are suffering and the
government should declare the flood a national calamity and disaster", Dr.
Oginga added
 
  Another politician Zablon Owigo Olang, a former two terms MP fro Ndhiwa who hails from Karungu  Bay, which is now part of the expansive Nyatike Constituency said he was satisfied with measures being put in place by the government but called for a lasting solution. Since the floods have become a perennial phenomenon in the area.
 
  Panic grips the affected areas as the victims of the flood pondered about
their fate. If the heavy and unusual rains continue up to the coming weekend,
close to 10,000 people or even more would be rendered homeless.
 
  Matatus and other public transport vehicles plying the region are capitalizing
on this pathetic situation and demanding that the travelers pay extra. They
claim this is due to poor condition of the roads worsened by heavy rains which
has continued pounding the two Nandi districts of North and South and also
Kericho district.
 
  At Gem Rae near Katito market the flood waters had risen to about 4 and 5 fts deep preventing the motorists from crossing the Awach River. The bridge had also been washed away as the flood water spread to a wider area close to five metres radius. 

 
  ENDS
                   Leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
                  P.O Box 833
                  KISUMU
                  Kenya

The writer is LUOCOME REPORTER based in Kisumu. We urge all LUOCOME members with pressing issues pertaining to media and press releases to kindly contact him from any where in world. He will assist you to get true picture of your Village Developement.
LUOCOME-MEDIA