CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS: Major Humanitarian Crisis as Tana River Water Turns Salty

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More than 15,000 residents from five locations in the Tana Delta Subcounty of Tana River County are faced with a major humanitarian crisis due to the effects of climate change.

Currently, River Tana waters are turning salty due to ocean flooding due to high tides.

Residents, mainly farmers, pastoralists and fishermen, are raising concern of sea tides eating up the river and turning its fresh water salty and unusable.

Reportedly, the problem started over 20 years ago and is worsening each year as the water is now completely salty and unfit for farming or drinking for both humans and animals while fish stocks from the river have gone down as they cannot survive in the salty area.

Currently, residents are forced to trek for over 20 kilometres to get fresh water and fear the disaster would worsen if action is not taken soon.

The affected locations are Chara, Kone Masa, Ozi, Kilelengwani and Dide Waride which are within the delta.

Journalists toured Kalota Brook and came face to face with the disaster, as the sea water flows deep into the river during high tides and since the area is flat with many river channels connecting to the main River Tana the salinity levels of the water have risen to an extent its affecting livelihoods.

At Kalota Brook area where the sea water broke into the river, we found locals had team up to try block the sea water using poles and traditional means of sand filled in sacks.

The problem reportedly started more than two decades ago and even former environment cabinet secretary Keriako Tobiko visited and assured residents there would be a permanent solution, but nothing happened since 2019.

Hassan Galgalo, a resident of Chara who supported the volunteer resident building a temporary dyke with food, said it was impossible to plant trees in the area as the water is salty.

Speaking at Kalota, he said the problem is as a result of effects of climate change which has affected human beings, and animals.

He called on the county and national governments to build a big dyke to prevent the sea water from flowing to the river.

“Farming has been affected, residents of Ozi and Kilelengwani are rice farmers, while residents of Chara and Konemasa they do maize, watermelon, tomato and even rice, but the challenges we are facing herenow even fish stocks have gone down,” he said.

Joseph Owino, a resident of Chara, said in 2019 former CS Tobiko toured the area and promised to resolve the problem, but nothing has happened ever since.

He said they were taken to a seminar and experts said the problem can only be addressed when the sea water was blocked from flowing to the river.

Boneya Kone, a resident of Kone Masa, said Tana River county government should invest in the climate change funds from the World Bank to address the problem.

Kone, who claimed to be the chairman of climate change committee Kipini West Ward, said there was more than Ksh122 million annually from the World Bank and wondered why the county cannot spend it to build a dyke.

“Please governor, we pray that the funds even if it’s one financial year to be channelled to this disaster by building a dyke from Oziall the way to Kibokoni and Shirikisho.

Said Bakombe, a resident Ozi, said the disaster was worsen in gand called for humanitarian aid as they are not able to do farming, fishing, and livestock keeping due to the high-water salinity.

He said his family go for long distance to get fresh water which was a challenge and asked the government to come up with a permanent solution to address the problem.

“This is why we came here for the last 10 days voluntarily to try and block the sea water, but we urge the Governor, MP, and MCA to intervene,” he said.

Yusuf Galicha, a resident of Kalota, said all Tana River leaders and President William Ruto should come to the aid of the residents.

Abiyo Ali said the fresh water has been affected by the saline of sea water and no economic activity can be done.