MD Mr. Sammy Naporos (center) with the Authority’s Board members and Baringo County Government Officials [By Maureen Ntari – By 4th September 2020]
The KVDA Managing Director Mr. Sammy Naporos, the Authority Board members and Baringo County Government Officials, recently paid a visit and donated foodstuff worth KSH 0.5 Million to support the communities affected by the Lake Baringo water rise that has caused flooding and destruction to the Communities living on the shores of the Lake.
This is following the Lake’s water level rise that has caused flooding to the surrounding areas as far as 84 square kilometers inland. The rising waters which are said to be as a result of climate change and deforestation has resulted to heavy rainfall and flooding which has caused sediment to fill the bottom of the lake resulting to the displacement of more than 5,000 households in the said area, submerging of homes, schools, roads, hospitals, farm and islands.
“Baringo is part of the Authority’s area of jurisdiction and we have several on-going projects in Marigat. We are also greatly affected when crises hit the region since our mandate is Regional Development.” Said Mr. Naporos. “We’re thankful for the hard work by the team working around the clock to assist those directly affected as they quickly provide relief and we are committed to assisting where we can and in a time when we know our neighbors need us now more than ever.”
Mr. Sammy was accompanied by Susan Chesina, the Chairperson of the Authority’s finance committee and Dr. Rotumoi, when he donated the foodstuff at Kampi-Samaki Airstrip, Salabani- Chemeron areas and Marigat Kiwanja Ndege in Marigat Sub-County.
Ms. Chesina expressed her appreciation to all the organizations that have been of assistance to the affected people and requested the government to treat the issue as a high priority. She also advised the community to be wary of crocodiles and Hippos that are now freely roaming in the villages.
The team donated twenty bags of Sorghum, one hundred bags of maize, twenty-five bags of rice, ten bags of beans, thirty cartons of milk and other basic items. They also provided hand sanitizers to combat Covid-19 in the Camps and assured the displaced families of their support even as the government finds a solution to the problem.
The area MCA Mr. Joseph Rangesi Parsalaach who was also present thanked the KVDA team for the donations and requested the team to assist the affected villages in any other way possible. The MCA also emphasized on the need to build extra pit latrines at the camps. “We request to be assisted with water tanks that can cater for the growing population of displaced people in the camps and also more pit latrines because this can grow to become a health issue if not dealt with soon,” Mr. Rangesi said.
The team paid a courtesy call to the Deputy County Commissioner, Marigat Sub-County Mr. Job Anunda before embarking on the visits. “We are proud to count KVDA as a partner to continue to provide people with much-needed support during this disaster as we help communities impacted by this crisis in every way we can and we shall continue to work closely with nonprofit partners and government agencies to determine immediate and long-term support required,” Said Anunda.