The Economic Havoc the Rains Have Created in The Country

The continuing rains remind one of the proverbial Noah floods well outlined in the Bible. During the time of Noah, people were warned of an imminent flood. People did not take Noah seriously. They went on with their merry and as the days went by, they were fully convinced that Noah was mad because the rains he had purported would come did not come. The rains finally came, Noah was saved and people died.

The weatherman in Kenya predicted the coming of El-Niño. He predicted of massive destruction of property, infrastructure and the loss of lives. Some took him seriously and some did not. Among those who took him seriously were our politicians. They mobilized funds and set them aside for the rains but as the days went by and there were no rains, they consumed the money they had set aside. Some called the weatherman mad and confused. But the rains came and now the same people are crying.

Go to the villages and the evidence of the destruction as a result of the continuing rains is as open as the morning sun. Roads have been completely destroyed. This has greatly affected movement of people and services from one place to another. Business thrives best when people are able to move from one place to another. In the place where the roads linking to major market centers have been destroyed, the economic practices between those areas is also destroyed.

Crops have been washed away from the farms. This is evident in Mount Elgon where close to seven people have already lost their lives. This place has fertile soils and the residents entirely rely on crops for livelihood. Most of these crops have now been washed away and there is a possibility of having an acute food shortage come next year in this region.

Animals have been killed like in the case of Narok. Given the fact that the community largely depends cattle, the loss of more than 3000 animals is a real loss. Not even compensation can bring these animals back. These are just but a few cases of the level of destruction the rains have caused.

Prevention is better than cure. Next time when you hear the voice of the weatherman, take his message strongly.