Orengo calls for UNEP’s intervention to salvage Lake Kanyaboli

Siaya governor James Orengo has called on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to intervene and save Africa’s second largest Ox-bow lake in the wake of a recent disaster caused by a broken dyke.

Orengo said that the disaster, which saw Lake Kanyaboli lose 80% of its water volume, has had a serious impact on the local ecosystem, with both aquatic and non-aquatic animals feeling nature’s wrath as a result.

Speaking at the site where a dyke collapsed, causing the lake to spew its contents into Yala swamp, Orengo said there need for UNEP, other United nations bodies such as the UNHABITAT and the national government to mobilise resources and undertake proper studies on how to rehabilitate the lake and normalize human settlement that was affected in both Siaya and Busia counties.

“This needs a lot of resources and studies to come up with a blue print and work plan that is going to change this environment positively,” said the governor who added that the disaster had adverse effect on  the animal and plant life within the ecosystem.

He said the county government of Siaya will not be able to meet 5the enormous requirements to rehabilitate the lake. 

“I have talked with our neighbours, Busia and we have agreed in principal that we need to talk with the national government and other partners” said Orengo who was accompanied by top county government officials, among them county secretary, Joseph Ogutu and chief of staff, colonel (retired) Cyrus Oguna and several county executive committee members.

Orengo argued that the country cannot afford to see the unique ecosystem that includes the biggest fresh water wetland waste away.

Early last month, Lake Kanyaboli broke a dyke that separates it from Yala Swamp, pouring water into the wetland.

In the process, various fish species that were unique to it escaped into the swamp, as farmers lost crops due to flooding.

Downstream, several homes in parts of Usonga and Budalangi were flooded, displacing several families.