Sad tale of families in Kwa Rhonda sleeping in storm water due to poor drainage
Elizabeth Njoroge inspects some of her belongings from her house in Kwa Rhonda after her house was filled with storm water on May 7, 2024.
About 50 families at MbuguaMbugua estate in Kwa Rhonda ward decry the loss, significant hardship, and disruption that they have experienced following the heavy floods.
The families have endured sleepless nights due to water flooding their houses leading to the laborious task of constantly removing water from their homes.
They say that, while the rains have not been too heavy in the area, storm water draining from the upper sides of Nakuru drains into their houses.
A room inside one of the houses filled with storm water after the rains fell in Kwa Rhonda on May 7, 2024.
This, according to the families is as a result of the poorly constructed drainage system, describing it as uneven and sloped, with one side elevated and the other side lower, causing water to flow towards the houses instead of away from them.
Elizabeth Njoroge, a mother of four who resides in the area, worriedly notes the floods have forced them to impose on their neighbours and have unexpected overnight stays at their homes.
"We're worried about the safety of our children, especially when the water levels reach electricity outlets. This may result in other unplanned disasters that we are not ready to deal with. Additionally, the children tend to gather items washed in by the rain, and being children, they might ingest them which poses a risk on their health,” she says.
Some of the furniture that has continuously been soaked in storm water at Kwa Rhonda estate after storm water filled the house on May 7, 2024.
Elizabeth adds that the water has destroyed their food leaving them with nothing to eat.
Keshia Wanjiru, a mother of two, notes how their nights are now filled with constant worry as they nervously await the water to invade their homes.
“Sleep is now a luxury to us as we worry whether tonight or any other night is the night water ravages our homes for the umpteenth time. Our children endure nights in the cold as we struggle to find ways to care for them. Some of our neighbours have also moved due to the pathetic conditions they’ve been subjected to. I am unable to move and stuck wondering when help will arrive,” she says.
Interestingly, residents have noted a striking disparity in response to the flood issue based on which side of the road they reside. While prompt solutions are swiftly provided to Racecourse residents, who are in Nakuru East sub-county, those on the opposite side have received no response at all.
Residents are particularly concerned and are raising questions about the whereabouts of their county assembly representative and the allocation of disaster management funds, as they have not received any assistance at all.