Page 81 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 27 Final

Community
Yet, now is the time for a flood prevention,
preparedness, response, and recovery plan.
We have a presenting opportunity to have
difficult conversations about the role of
corruption, the consequences of meddling
with the laws of nature, reviewing and
readapting our drainage systems, and
committing to the dignity of all declaring
“Never again!”
As a country and Africa at large, we have
a recovery and emergency response gap.
Recommendations to move to higher grounds
are temporary solutions to what seems to
be our permanent problem as a nation and
continent. We can change this by addressing
these gaps as a way of making these
floods less destructive to all Kenyans. The
government needs to assess all
dams and ensure that they are
not a threat to humanity. This
should have been the case after
the Solai tragedy in 2018 when
the dam collapsed with water
flooding downstream through
the fields into homes, killing 48
people.
A close family friend from
Solai has been dealing with
the emotional and mental
effects of this tragic event.
Natural disasters like floods
and mudslides should prompt
us to prepare our communities
with recovery and emergency
response plans, much like
Noah’s Ark. In my conversation
with Agano, we agreed that
planning should not be limited to preventing
disasters, but should also focus on utilizing
water resources for our benefit as a nation.
On the compassionate side of disaster is
growth; growing for us is accepting that
floods are excess water in need of planning
and management. The excess supply of
water if well-managed can irrigate our land
to boost our food security. Additionally, we
need to respect the natural order and not
interfere with the environmental preservation
strategies of communities.
We should consider community-centered
economic, environmental, psychological, and
physiological support to those who may be
struggling with grief and other mental health
concerns following the past and recent floods.
ISSUE 27 | MAY 2024 81