The flooding crisis persists in Kenya as rains persist, resulting in a death toll surpassing 200. Officials report 164 individuals currently missing, while 42,526 households, impacting over 210,000 people, have been displaced. The Interior Ministry has initiated the establishment of camps across the nation to accommodate those affected by the floods.

In Kisumu County, adjacent to Lake Victoria, displaced individuals have started to receive food assistance. Mercelyne Atieno Anyanga, an elderly widow forced from home by the floods, laments, “We are suffering from this lake; its waters are wreaking havoc on us here. When I survey the area, words fail me.” Nearby, a woman distributes handfuls of grain to those waiting.

The government faces challenges in addressing the escalating needs during this humanitarian crisis, amidst criticism of its inadequate response to the flooding.

 In Kisumu, Eliud Owalo, the Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication, and Digital Economy, reassures the public that the government is taking action.

 “Our current efforts to aid those stranded include helicopter evacuation services and providing short-term relief food support,” he explains. Looking ahead, he emphasizes, “However, our long-term strategy involves desilting the lake to redirect water from the Nyando River inward, rather than outward towards households.” This river, draining into the Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria, is a significant sediment source. 

The government has mandated the evacuation of residents near bodies of water at full capacity, warning of potential forced relocation.

With water levels at two major hydroelectric dams reaching record highs, downstream communities along the Tana River have been alerted to potential risks.