KISUMU, Kenya, May 22 — The Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) has launched the construction of a 50-kilometre flood protection dyke at Kadika, along River Nyando.
LBDA Managing Director Wycliffe Ochiaga said the dykes will help alleviate the suffering of locals during flooding.
Ochiaga noted that, since the area is an agricultural zone, the dyke will help eliminate post-harvest losses incurred by farmers during the harvesting season.
“The first phase of this project will cover 4 kilometres, while the remaining 46 kilometres will depend on the availability of government funding,” he said.
He added that the area has experienced perennial flooding, which has displaced hundreds of families annually and destroyed property and crops.
The MD further noted that, once flooding is addressed through proper dyking, farm produce such as rice, horticultural products, and sugarcane will reach the market on time.
“In line with the broader agenda to support livelihoods, we want to ensure that by the time we are done with this project, the issue of post-harvest losses will be a thing of the past,” he said.
Flood management
Speaking in Nyando Sub-county at the launch of the construction, Ochiaga said the project is a collaboration between area MP Jared Okello and the Ministry of East African Community, ASALs, and Regional Development.
“Four months ago, when we visited this area, we recognized the urgent need to construct the dykes,” he said.
MP Okello hailed the initiative, describing it as a game changer in managing flooding in the Nyando area.
He said the broad-based government has been instrumental in ensuring the project kicks off to ease the suffering of the locals.
“The ministry took up the matter with the Treasury to secure emergency resources, as this happened while the budgetary process was still ongoing and it was initially difficult to obtain the necessary funds,” he said.
Okello added that the dyking project is not only targeting the menace posed by River Nyando but also the backflow from Lake Victoria.
A local resident, Jane Anyango — known for the ‘Serikali Saidia’ slogan — said the dykes will significantly help in controlling the floods.
“For all these years, we have lived with floods. They have cost us dearly and exposed us to numerous diseases,” she said.
Anyango appealed to the government to allocate sufficient resources to ensure the dykes cover the entire River Nyando bank.
