Years of crippling floods in West Kano, Kisumu County, may soon come to an end as the national government accelerates the West Kano–Kanyagwal Flood Control Project, which is now nearly halfway complete.
The project, spearheaded by the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority, seeks to permanently resolve the perennial flooding that has displaced families, swept away homes and shattered livelihoods across Ogenya Sub-location in Kadibo Sub-county.
Recent floods left a trail of destruction, affecting 684 households and completely demolishing 450 houses in Kanyagwal. The area, located on the low-lying delta where River Nyando empties into Lake Victoria, remains one of the most vulnerable regions to river overflow and lake backflow.
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to delivering long-term, sustainable solutions to communities living along flood-prone corridors. He said the project forms part of a wider national agenda to “restore safety, dignity and economic stability” for thousands of affected households.
The flood control works, now at 48 per cent completion, include construction of a 1.5-metre-high, 3.5-kilometre dyke, a footbridge built under a corporate social responsibility initiative, as well as grassing and tree planting to stabilise reclaimed land.
Once completed, the infrastructure will reclaim approximately 7,000 hectares of land for secure settlement and productive agriculture.
Residents have hailed the project as a long-awaited lifeline after years of devastation.
Charles Osako, a long-time resident of Kanyagwal, said families have endured repeated losses and displacement for far too long. He praised the government for what he termed a timely intervention that will help communities rebuild their lives while safeguarding homes, farms and village centres.
The project is expected to protect key public facilities in the hardest-hit villages, including Kanduru, Kanyangi, Kajowi, Wachiegwe, Kanyamuok and Karagwel.
