Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu. [Photo|the-star.co.ke]
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) will drill a tunnel across the Thika-Garissa fly over to ease flooding, which has affected the surrounding areas.
This comes after a meeting between KeNHA and Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu.
Waititu said there was a need to permanently address the issue, adding that the problem could have been avoided if a proper drainage system was put in place during the road construction. He attributed the current floods in Thika to poor water flow in hilly parts of Juja and Gatundu and vowed to drain water from the areas to River Chania.
Floods in the area have paralyzed businesses with proprietors counting losses running into millions of shillings because many ground floor houses have been submerged in water. Francis Ng’ang’a, a furniture seller, said he has incurred huge losses since the heavy rains begun.
“Most of my furniture has been destroyed by floods, the shop is inaccessible and I have been forced to temporarily close the business as I wait for the rains to subside,” he said.
Meanwhile, as floods continue to wreak havoc in different parts of the country the Marsabit County government has intensified efforts to reach out to residents who have been affected by the floods.
Leading the delegation, area Governor Muhammad Ali promised to help the affected families to regain their normal lives. “We have more than 3,000 affected families in the county and my administration will give foodstuff and bedding to the affected,” he said.
Speaking in Antup village in Moyale sub-county, he urged humanitarian organizations to assist the affected families in the area, says an outbreak of diseases such as malaria might arise. Floods in the area have reportedly claimed five lives in the past two weeks.