Two Homa Bay women MPs have urged the government to spend part of the Sh1 billion in the new budget on ending perennial floods in the county.
National Treasury CS Ukur Yatani on Thursday set aside the Sh1 billion in mitigating floods in areas that are adversely affected.
Homa Bay Woman Rep Gladys Wanga and Rangwe MP Lilian Gogo called for the construction of dykes and gabions in the affected areas in the county.
Some of the areas prone to flooding include Kochia in Rangwe constituency, Osodo and Kobuya in Karachuonyo and Lambwe in Suba North.
Speaking on Friday at Odienya Primary School during the distribution of food and non-food items to more than 3,000 families affected by floods in Kochia, the two leaders said perennial floods in area should be tackled in the next financial year.
Wanga said they are going to make a joint effort to push for allocations from the budget to end the problem.
“Our people should not face this problem anymore, if the government has set aside funds to address it. We’re going to lobby the government to ensure dykes and gabions are constructed to end the problem,” Wanga said.
She said there is risk of outbreak of diseases such as malaria and cholera in the flooding areas due to stagnant water.
“Many people here are at risk of contracting the diseases should they not get help,” she said.
Gogo said flooding had caused poverty among residents of her constituency as floods destroy crops and displace residents every year.
“Floods are impoverishing our people by making them rely on relief food every year. We are going to lobby the concerned national government agencies to end the floods once and for all,” Gogo said.
She argued that the collaboration between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga had created enabling environment for them to lobby for development projects from the government.
“I urge my fellow legislators to take advantage of our collaboration with the Jubilee administration to lobby for the national cake,” Gogo added.
The MPs distributed maize, beans, rice, cooking oil, soap, blankets, sanitary pads and mosquito nets.
The items were donated by the government and Kochia Professionals to which Wanga and Gogo also gave their contributions.
The legislators commended the professionals and called on residents to embrace unity in fighting the less fortunate during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Edited by EKibii