A police officer carrying a boy from an area swept away by raging waters of Kijabe Dam at Maai Mahiu in Nakuru county on April 29, 2024. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]
It’s now emerging that hours before the Dark Tunnel Valley dam burst its banks, killing close to 50 people, area residents had raised concerns over rising water levels.
As fate would have it, water spilled from the dam sweeping away tens of people, homes, livestock and vegetation in what is turning out be the worst natural calamity in the recent past.
Homes were swept away with tens of victims unaccounted for even as government agencies embarked on a search and rescue operation.
Logs and boulders blocked major roads leading to Mai Mahiu town, causing a major traffic jam that lasted for hours as Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) officers moved in to clear the affected sections of the road.
The roads agency announced that the Mai Mahiu-Naivasha road had been rendered impassable due to floods caused by the collapsed dam.
“Approximately 700m from Mai Mahiu towards Naivasha, and another 1km from Mai Mahiu towards Suswa/Narok have been rendered impassable,” read an update from the agency.
Traffic came to a standstill around Mai Mahiu trading centre following the incident.
At Ngeya Primary, tears flowed freely as people streamed in to report missing kin and for counseling.
In the nearby Mai Mahiu Health, tens of victims covered in mud were wheeled in for treatment before being referred to Naivasha sub-county hospital for specialised treatment.
The facility received over 150 patients a majority having sustained cuts and fractures. Thirty-five of them were referred to Naivasha Hospital for specialised treatment.
And along the stretch where the gushing waters passed through, tens of residents backed by Red Cross officials and Nakuru County Disaster Management team walked through the muddy waters in search of more bodies.
Screams and wails rent the air as one body after the other was recovered covered in mud. The bodies were taken to Ume private mortuary.
And at PCEA centre along the Mai Mahiu-Narok road, an Easy Coach bus that was heading to Nairobi from Narok lay by the roadside with the fate of the occupants unknown having jumped off to avoid the floods.
All started on Saturday when residents of Old Kijabe expressed concerns over the rising water levels in Dark Tunnel Valley dam where water had collected for days due to ongoing days.
And at 2.30am on Monday morning, their fears were confirmed as the water spilled out sweeping anything on its way. There are fears that the death toll could double.
A scene where houses were swept by raging waters after Kijabe Dam at Maai Mahiu in Nakuru County burst its banks on April 29, 2024. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]
According to a survivor, William Rokai, they were woken up by loud and vibrating sound before his house was flooded in minutes.
Rokai and his two brothers managed to rescue his two children from the roof before escaping to higher grounds.
He said that the incident caught them by surprise as they were asleep, adding that he only managed to rescue his family. He lost everything as his house was swept downstream.
“In minutes our house was flooded and through the grace of God we managed to escape through the roof and we are still in shock,” said the casual labourer.
This was echoed by a quarry worker, John Kinuthia, who only salvaged his identity card after all his personal effects were washed away.
A shaken Kinuthia narrated how he was woken by screams and as he moved out to check what was going on, he met the raging waters.
“The water pushed me and I managed to hang from one of the trees before swimming to safety and rescuing a woman who was trapped in a nearby house,” she said.
An aerial view of the area swept away by raging waters of Kijabe Dam at Maai Mahiu in Nakuru county on April 29, 2024. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]
Another victim David Chege termed the tragedy as the worst to ever hit the area, noting that the town had not recorded heavy rains compared to other areas.
He said that tens of families did not know the fate of their kin with tens missing and scores of others admitted in different hospitals in Naivasha.
“This is worse than the Solai dam incident as the death toll could pass 70. Many families cannot trace their relatives,” he said.
Naivasha OCPD Stephen Kirui said that of the 45 bodies recovered from different locations, 17 were minors.
He said that the numbers could rise by the day as the search operation continued, adding that the fate of the passengers in the ill-fated Easy Coach bus was unknown.
The police boss added that during the incident, several cars with occupants were swept by the floods, with the bodies and the wrecks yet to be recovered.
“The gushing waters flooded sections of the Naivasha-Mai Mahiu and Narok-Mai Mahiu road where some of the bodies were recovered,” said the police boss.
Speaking at the scene, Naivasha MP Jane Kihara termed the incident as a national disaster, adding that they were trying to come to terms with deaths.
She said thatthe floods had swept everything including the houses and personal effects.
“Tens of families have lost their relatives, scores of others are missing as others nurse wounds in hospitals and this is the darkest day in our lives,” she said.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen termed the incident as one of the darkest in the country’s history.
Decisive action
He said that the government will relocate those living in waterways to address the rising death toll.
“We have lost so many people through the ongoing rains and it’s time to take decisive action by evicting all those living near flooded sections,” he said.
Rescuers assess the damage caused by raging waters after the Kijabe dam burst its banks on April 29, 2024. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika while condoling with the affected families said that the county had mobilised all its resources to deal with the disaster.
She said they were working closely with their counterparts from Kiambu where the dam was situated in assisting those affected.
“We have mobilised all the necessary personnel and equipment in addressing this disaster which is worse than the Solai dam incident where 48 people lost their lives,” she said.
Nakuru Lands Executive John Kihagi appealed to striking doctors to resume duty as this was a national disaster that had affected directly and indirectly tens of families.
“We are working with NYS and KeNHA officers in addressing this major tragedy even as we call on those living near rivers to relocate to higher grounds,” he said.
The CO for Public Health Joyce Ncece noted that rescue operations during the incident were hampered by darkness due a power blackout in the region.
“We are working with private hospitals and well-wishers and we are calling for humanitarian support from the national government,” she said. By Antony Gitonga, The Standard
Kenya has pledged to donate US$1 million worth of maize to Zimbabwe to help the southern African country alleviate a severe shortage of the staple caused by the El Nino-induced drought.
Speaking during the signing of eight Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between Kenya and Zimbabwe under the 4th Zimbabwe/Kenya Joint Permanent Commission on Co-operation, at State House in Bulawayo on Saturday, Kenyan President William Ruto said climate change threatens the lives and livelihoods globally, especially Africa.
He called upon all countries, particularly the developed world, to meet their obligations and commitments under the Paris Agreement and other multilateral environmental agreements.
The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change which aims to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”
Ruto also pleaded with the international community to respond to the declaration of a State of Disaster in Zimbabwe. He said (via The Sunday News):
I wish to express Kenya’s solidarity with Zimbabwe in the face of the prolonged El Nino-induced drought that has left a severe food and humanitarian crisis in the Southern African region.
We call upon the international community to respond to the declaration you made on the State of Disaster in Zimbabwe following the El Nino-induced drought.
On its part, Kenya is committing to deliver US$1 million worth of food items, particularly maize to the people of Zimbabwe in the next few weeks.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa had earlier thanked his Kenyan counterpart for the maize donation. Speaking during the banquet hosted in honour of Ruto on Friday night at the State House in Bulawayo, Mnangagwa said:
Over the past four decades, Zimbabwe and Kenya have fostered synergies across various sectors of the economy.
I was briefing my younger brother (President Ruto) about the drought situation here, and by the way, they have no drought in Kenya because they are near the Equator.
When I told my dear brother that we have drought he donated 30 000 tonnes of maize to Zimbabwe. Thank you, and that is what brothers do to each other.
During the declaration of a State of Disaster, Mnangagwa said the country needs over US$2 billion to address the food shortage.
On 03 April 2024, Mnangagwa officially declared the El Niño-induced drought, which severely impacted the 2023/24 summer cropping season, as a state of disaster.
The declaration aims to mobilize resources and prevent the looming threat of widespread starvation. Pindula News
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Wednesday, 24th April 2024, in a momentous ceremony held in Kaleo, officially inaugurated phase two of the Kaleo Solar Power Plant, marking another significant stride in Ghana's renewable energy journey.
With a capacity of fifteen megawatts peak (15MWp), this addition underscores Ghana's commitment to harnessing clean energy sources and building a sustainable future for generations to come.
Addressing a gathering of dignitaries, chiefs, and community members, President Akufo-Addo emphasized the importance of renewable energy in driving economic growth, mitigating climate change, and ensuring energy security for all citizens.
He praised the collective efforts of stakeholders, including the Chiefs and people of the Nadowli-Kaleo traditional area, the German Government, the Volta River Authority (VRA), and project contractors, for their invaluable contributions to the successful completion of the project.
The President highlighted the strategic significance of Kaleo as a hub for renewable energy development, citing its rich natural resources and potential to attract investment and spur innovation in the region.
He reiterated Government's commitment to incentivizing green investments, promoting energy efficiency, and prioritizing the development of solar, wind, and hydroelectric power projects as key strategies for the nation's energy sector growth.
Phase two of the Kaleo Solar Power Plant not only adds fifteen megawatts of clean energy to the national grid but also improves the quality of power supply in the Upper West Region. Furthermore, it is estimated to reduce national carbon emissions by nearly 8,917 tonnes, contributing to Ghana's efforts to combat climate change and fulfill its international commitments. It will also promote practical studies in the development of solar power by the Technical Universities in the northern part of the country.
President Akufo-Addo reiterated Government’s commitment to invest continuously in the electricity transmission network, to enable the country to evacuate more renewable energy through the national grid to support the extension of electricity to all parts of the country.
“It is our intention to attain full electricity access by the end of this year, up from the current rate of eighty-eight-point-eight percent (88.8%),” he stated.
The President continued, “I expect that, with this project in this community, corporate social responsibility programmes for Kaleo and its environment will be enhanced through the provision of social amenities by the appropriate authorities, including VRA.”
President Akufo-Addo expressed optimism about Ghana's energy future, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and collective action in achieving sustainable development goals. He urged all stakeholders to uphold effective maintenance management practices to ensure the longevity and efficiency of renewable energy infrastructure, reaffirming his government's dedication to building a brighter, greener future for all Ghanaians.
“By investing in renewable energy infrastructure, we are securing a reliable source of electricity and creating new opportunities for economic growth and job creation. This plant will not only power homes and businesses, but also serve as a catalyst for development in the Upper West Region, attracting investment and spurring innovation,” he added.
The President told the gathering that Government is implementing a series of policies and measures to incentivise green investments, foster a culture of energy efficiency, and prioritise the development of solar, wind, and hydroelectric power projects as key strategies for the growth of the energy sector in the country. “The vision, however, is not only to be energy self-sufficient, but also to set the stage for Ghana to emerge as an eco-friendly country in the Region, inspiring neighbouring countries to follow suit in their pursuit of a greener, more energy-technology-centred future,” he added. APO
Flooding from heavy rain has caused the deaths of 155 people in Dodoma, Tanzania. This was accompanied by Landslides causing displacement of man people.
It has been reported that over 51,000 households and 200,000 are affected badly. The heavy rainfall has also caused injuries to 236 people also damaging 10,000 houses.
The UAE and Kenya signed a memorandum of understanding, setting the stage for investment collaboration in mining and technology sectors. WAM
UAE’s Ministry of Investment and the Kenyan Ministry of Finance and National Treasury have signed a memorandum of understanding, setting the stage for collaboration in mining and technology sectors, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
The Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company, ADQ, also announced on Wednesday a finance framework agreement with Kenya’s ministry, facilitating investments in priority sectors of the Kenyan economy, with a potential investment sum of up to $500 million, WAM said.
Kenya’s mining sector boasts significant growth potential owing to its abundant reserves of gold, copper, ilmenite, tantalum, and various non-metallic minerals.
The MoU focuses on mineral exploration, mine development, mineral processing, refining, and mineral marketing in Kenya. One of the key objectives is to explore opportunities for technology transfer in Kenya’s mineral sector, that would support innovation and growth. The two countries will also assess avenues for collaboration in promoting responsible stewardship of the mineral sector, with a strong emphasis on environmental, social, and governance practices, in addition to exploring avenues for collaboration in research and development within the designated sectors.
Minister of Investment of the UAE Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi said: “Through this partnership, we are laying down the foundation for a future where sustainable mining practices, innovation, and responsible stewardship form the pillars of our mutual growth.”
“We are committed to leveraging technology to enhance capacities and establish robust governance practices that will not only propel the mineral sector but also ensure overall prosperity of our nations.” Source: Asharq Al Awsat
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