Build dam to check floods, State told

Residents of Handaraku village relocate following the bursting of River Tana banks. Local leaders, including Governor Hussein Dado and Garsen MP Mr Sane have accused KenGen, the electricity generating company, of causing floods by opening of dam gates upstream. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Committee on Land and Settlement chairman, Naivasha MP John Kihali, said the government should use the supplementary budget to put up a dam to end perennial flooding in the Tana Delta.
  • The displaced residents are residing at camps Matomba Basket of Hope, Vumbwe and Mandingo.

A Parliamentary committee wants the Ministry of Water to build an additional dam on River Tana to check flooding.

Committee on Land and Settlement chairman, Naivasha MP John Kihali, said the government should use the supplementary budget to put up a dam to end perennial flooding in the Tana Delta.

The MP spoke on Friday when the team visited a flood-hit area where over 20,000 people are marooned.

They also visited camps – Matomba Basket of Hope, Vumbwe and Mandingo - where hundreds of people floods have displaced are living and assured them of government support.

“The ministry should construct a multi-purpose dam upstream on to check flooding that has caused deaths and destruction in the lower Tana River basin every year. The water should be a resource to be harnessed for development and not a source of calamity,” said Mr Kihali.

And during a meeting with the committee at Minjila commissioner’s office, local MP Ibrahim Sane, Lamu East’s Ali Shariff and their Lamu West counterpart Julius Ndegwa asked the government to help those affected.

“An extra dam to collect the excess water is overdue. The government should move with speed and end this problem once and for all,” Mr Kihali said.

LEADERS ACCUSE KENGEN
Local leaders, including Governor Hussein Dado and Garsen MP Mr Sane have accused KenGen, the electricity generating company, of causing floods by opening of dam gates upstream.

“Tana and Athi River Development Authority (Tarda) and KenGen contribute to floods also by closing some water ways,” said Mr Sane.

“When the dams fill up, KenGen would open their outlets and the waters cause floods donwnstream,” the MP said.

But Tarda boss Steven Muthaiga and KenGen Operations Manager Richard Nderitu said their agencies are not responsible for the floods.

“As we speak now, there are floods in Tana River yet our dams are not yet full. Kiambere, Seven Forks Dam, Masinga Dam and the others are still below capacity. None of the dams have outlets. When they fill up, water spills over into the river. We don’t control the water volume in the river. Research has also proved we don’t cause floods,” said Mr Nderitu.

Mr Muthaiga said Tarda’s activities on the Tana Basin have not caused floods. “The Basin is important and the government should utilise it for food production. The major irrigation projects Tarda has undertaken throughout the country are meant to increase food production,” he said.

The government gave Tarda Sh467 million to funds its projects in the area this financial year.