El Nino: Residents of Barnabas estate cry of being left out of county mitigation plans
Barnabas business center.
Residents of Barnabas Estate are not happy with the Nakuru County government. According to locals, the county government has not included the estate in its ongoing plans to mitigate the expected El Niño rains.
According to Erastus Maina, a resident of Barnabas Estate, no team from the county has visited the estate that has no proper drainage or sewerage system.
Barnabas resident Erastus Maina.
"This area has no proper drainage or even sewerage system and we are just wondering if the Elnino rains come now, we will have a crisis here," says Mr Maina.
Peter Mwaura, a businessman from Barnabas Centre, says county officials should visit the area and map it before the rains start.
Barnabas businessman Peter Mwaura.
He says Barnabas Business Centre contributes a lot to the economy of Nakuru County and should therefore be given priority.
"We see the county making preparations for El Niño in other areas but nothing is happening here in Barnabas. I think it is high time the county takes action," says Mr Mwaura.
The Nakuru government, however, insists that plans are still underway to map out all areas that could be affected by the rains.
In an earlier interview, the county secretary, Dr Samuel Mwaura, said adequate measures were being put in place.
According to Dr Mwaura, areas of focus include Naivasha, Gilgil, Kuresoi, Njoro, Bahati and Molo, which are known to be prone to flooding.
The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned that the country is likely to experience El Niño rains from October to December.