Water Cabinet Secretary, Eugine Wamalwa, has warned Kenyans to prepare for a more punitive drought as the shortage of rain is expected to persist.
Wamalwa stated that the expert opinion which earlier indicated the continuity of drought could no longer be out-ruled.
The CS however maintained that the government was doing everything in its powers to arrest the situation.
‘We are looking at the second phase of 9 billion to upgrade our operations in terms of intensifying the water tracking in the affected areas and also ensuring we have enough food. We are also looking at boreholes to use the ground water, all in ensuring people have enough water for domestic use,’ he stated.
He revealed that the government expected the short rains late last year to improve the situation but unfortunately the short rains failed.
‘We are also urging communities both in upstream and downstream to share the little water in existence and avoid using the water for irrigation. For pastoralists, we have also asked the ministry of agriculture to ensure there is off take in terms of purchase of animals before they die so that we put money in their pockets instead of seeing their animals die,’ he said.
He spoke to press from Blue Post Hotel, Thika on Wednesday after touring Ndakaini dam and inspecting the progress of Northern collector tunnel water project in Murang’a County.