Rains cause havoc in Sipili

By WaJoe


Heavy rains have pounded Sipili area of Ng’arua in Laikipia for the last three months casing great damage to the infrastructure.


Weather in the semi arid area which is known to receive inadequate rainfall has changed drastically with the rains falling daily filling every valley and gully with flash floods.


Roads have been rendered impassable causing farmers who are currently harvesting their maize untold suffering. The most affected are the farmers who intend to sell their produce since no vehicle can manage to move to the interior areas as owners fear getting stuck in the mud.


Dairy farmers are no better. Milk production is high but with no means of taking the produce to the market. Motor cycle business or what many refer to as boda boda has also been affected with many people preferring to walk to avoid the risk of traveling by a motor bike on slippery roads.


Matatu operations have not been spared either and join the list of the most affected business people. Those using Sipili- Kinamba route say the road is in poor condition complaining that their vehicles are getting damaged.


A driver of a Nissan matatu by the name ‘My choice’ said they are wasting a lot of time as they evade pot holes at Karungubii and Njorua areas. It was confirmed that a vehicle is using more than one hour from Sipili to Kinamba instead of the usual 20 minutes.


School going children have also been affected. Streams are full to capacity and lack bridges or culverts. Parents are forced to take their children to school in the morning while teachers escort them in the evening to avoid endangering their lives.


The most affected schools are Nyakinyua day secondary school and the neighboring. Nyakinyua primary school where a pupil was swept away by flash floods some years back only to be rescued by passersby.


A teacher from Supreme Academy at Kiriko village whom we caught up with while escorting children who had just closed school expressed fear that drowning cases may occur and cautioned parents to be careful this December holidays.


Area residents are arguing the relevant authority to repair the roads saying if no measures are taken urgently, the whole area will be cut off from other parts of the region.