NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 13 – The government has set aside Sh500 million to alleviate suffering for thousands of families affected by the rising water levels in lakes within the Rift Valley region.
Government Spokesperson Rtd Colonel Cyrus Oguna on Wednesday said the government is engaged in activities to settle those who have been displaced by the water.
Several schools and homesteads are no longer habitable after the lakes expanded their territories in a crisis linked to global warming.
“The government has also adopted other contingency measures to ensure those affected are helped,” he said.
He was speaking in Nakuru County, where he did an assessment on the extent of damage caused by the rising waters in Lake Nakuru.
“The government will continue putting measures, at all times, to ensure they don’t suffer because of this challenge,” he said.
Water levels in Lake Naivasha, Elementaita, Nakuru, Bogoria and Baringo have been rising since 2018, and for the past two years, the levels have superseded the 2012-2013 records to rise above levels not seen in the past 50 years.
The phenomena has significantly impacted the tourism industry, an important sector in the Kenyan economy.
Thousands of Rift Valley residents have been rendered homeless with businesses and schools closed.
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