Preparations to mitigate the adverse effects of the impending El Nino rains should give special focus to counties in arid and semi-arid lands, an MP has said.
Fafi MP Salah Yakub said says those involved in handling humanitarian issues should put their act together in advance so that they are not caught flat-footed.
“As residents of this region we are more vulnerable. This is an area which has a lot of calamities like insecurity, drought and now the expected floods. We are also dealing with drought and now floods. So, mine is just to appeal for more and quick response from the national government and the NGOs who are involved,” he said.
He added: “Already Dekaharja that is close to 150km from Bura East is cut off after rains started pounding the area. If we don’t move with speed and provide them with the necessary assistance then these people and others who are in areas with similar problems will greatly suffer,” he said.
The MP spoke to the press in Bura East town on Wednesday when he flagged off the first batch of 560 bags of relief food destined to Dekaharja ward.
He was accompanied by Bura East Deputy County Commissioner Thomas Bett.
Rains have already started pounding some parts of Garissa county including Galmagala in Fafi subcounty and parts of Masalani in Ijara.
Yakub said that infrastructure being the biggest challenge in the area where most of the roads become impassable, it was important that essentials like food be well stocked in time in the subcounties.
The UDA legislator further used the opportunity to request President William Ruto to appoint an advisor who will be the link between the President and the elected leaders.
"We know that when he was the Deputy President he had an advisor for Northern Kenya. It is the same thing that we are requesting. That the person should be in his office so that we can have a talk with him or her instead of us dealing directly with CSs in a scattered form. We seriously have a lot of issues that need to be tackled and we want to see the government doing much more in relation to Northern Kenya," he said.
Bett said the subcounty steering group was in the process of mapping out key areas that are at a risk of floods, adding that they are prepared to handle any eventualities if or when they arise.
“Most important is that we have put in place enough mitigation measures in preparedness of any disasters which might occur,” he said.
He urged riverine communities to move to higher and safer grounds, saying that the government will in the coming days push out all persons who will not have heeded to the advice.
The government has already announced that residents of Asals who were affected the most by drought are likely to be hit hardest by the El Nino rains.
Garissa, Marsabit, Turkana, Baringo, Samburu, Wajir, Tana River, Kwale, Taita Taveta, Mandera, Narok, and Isiolo counties are likely to experience flooding, while Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot are at risk of land slides.