November 9, 2024

Threat of being submerged by sea waters

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More than 25,000 residents of Ngomeni Village in Magarini Constituency of Kilifi County face the threat of being submerged by sea waters because of the ongoing climatic changes globally.

The ever-increasing sea levels have sparked fears the village might be wiped as the water continue to erode the land if action is not taken to control the current situation.

The locals whom majority are fishermen said that their village boundaries are no longer visible.

When journalists visited the village which is 11 km from the Malindi-Lamu road, a clear picture of how the ocean waters are eroding the village can be observed.

According to Faruk Ahmed the chairman of Beach Management Unit (BMU) their village will vanish if urgent actions are not be taken on time.

He said fishermen are now agonizing since the ocean water keeps on eroding fish deports and markets.

“As time goes by our village will soon disappear and leave many homeless, the original boundaries of the village can no traced,” said Faruk.

Currently, according to him more than 3000 fishermen depend on fishing activities for their livelihoods may lose it if something is not done to arrest the situation.

He called upon the national government to build a seawall that will check ocean waves that hit the beach during high tide seasons.

“The only solution is erecting seawall which I believe it will be a defense mechanism blocking the waters from eroding the village,” he said.

53 years old Mohammed Ismail Omar said that salt firms that are found along the Coastal line are to be blamed for their troubles.

He said as much as they have created jobs to some residents they have created a major problem that will see a whole village missing from the world Map.

“We blame the salt firms  for what we are currently going through, they blocked the sea water from flowing to other areas so that they can trap it and process salt,” said Ismail.

“Our village is 3/4 surrounded by water and its dangerous during high tides where some locals have to flee to higher grounds to avoid being swept away by the ocean water,” he said.

He gave the National government an ultimatum of 4 months to build a seawall in the area.

“We are also Kenya’s like others, we need to see a seawall by May this year or else it will be a history that there was a village sometimes back,” he added.

According to the area MCA Albert Kiraga said that the village has so many natural resources that will be useful if quick measure will be taken to reclaim the village.

He said currently residents are scrambling for higher lands in the village because they fear ocean waters could displace them unaware.

“The one thing that is affecting locals here is how they will protect their villages from being marooned and also avoid being strike by tsunami,” said Kiraga.

“A seawall will be a great defense to these people, also it will protect all the natural habitats found within this village,” he said.

He said 240 million shillings was given to the Coast Development Authority (CDA) to construct a seawall but nothing was done at the site.

“CDA have done a shoddy job at the site, despite being given the 240 million shillings, they dropped stones at the boarder of the village telling locals that it’s a seawall,” he said. He called upon the office of the DPP to investigate over the matter and shade light to locals

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