We have been forgotten, Garissa flood victims now lament.
By Musa Bashir
Hundreds of individuals displaced by floods on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction with the poor living conditions and the absence of government assistance.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, they claimed schools and colleges where they are currently stationed have closed their latrines forcing people to help themselves in the open increasing fears of cholera and other water borne disease.
Bula Kamor Chairman Mohamud Abdi Omar also known as Boqole who is among 585 people currently at Garissa Vocational training said they have spent five days in the makeshift camp with no help from the government.
He said their suffering has also been compounded by lack of water in the camps saying children, people living with disability and women are mostly affected.
“This makeshift you can see here, about 12 people have slept here, I was sleeping when you came because I didn’t sleep last night, this situation is too bad. We really need intervention,” he said.
Omar blamed elected leaders whom he said normally go to every door during elections only to forget them when there are calamities that completely change their lives.
“Its very unfortunate that today we lack Toilets, water, and a place to sleep and those we elected are not even aware of our conditions,” he added.
According to Kenya red cross the floods have displaced 7,278 households in Garissa County, Township which is the epicenter of the calamities stands at 4,372 households.
The displaced individuals are spread in seven camps in Garissa Township including Yhuga, Garissa National Polytechnic, Vocational training, Kasuko primary, Jairbu primary and Ziwani.
Meanwhile Garissa governor Nathif Jama has issued a stern warning to rogue traders taking advantage of the current floods to hoard essential commodities that their licenses will be revoked.
Four days ago, Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) temporarily closed the Garissa – Nairobi highway and Garissa – Mombasa road after several sections of the roads were swept away by the raging floods occasioned by El-Nino rains pounding several parts of the country.
The two major roads are not only the entry points to Garissa town and the rest of the North Eastern region but supplies all the commodities from Nairobi, Mombasa and groceries supplies from central Kenya.
Nathif said that his office had received several complaints from area residents that some traders are holding back essential commodities to create an artificial shortage to later inflate their prices and make a ‘kill’ because the major supply routes to the region have been closed.
The governor said that hoarding of essential commodities is criminal and will be severely punished adding that there are reports that traders are hoarding sugar, maize flour, milk, cooking oil among others essential items.
A spot check revealed that the prices of essential commodities have doubled or even tripled with a kilo of sugar now retailing at shs 500 up from shs 200, 2 kg of maize flour at shs 600 from shs 240, a carton of milk at shs 1,000 from shs 450.
