By Omotayo Edubi
The increasing water level in Lake Baringo in the Great Rift Valley has caused disastrous loss of properties. Due to the overflow of the lake; homes, schools and places of worship have being submerged.
“The water levels came up gradually and we also moved every time the water reached our homes. The water level kept rising till we were permanently displaced.” says Griffin Nakure.
Inhabitants of the community have being displaced in the process forcing them to retreat to camps where they lived with the difficulty of accessing basic amenities and clean water.
Access to some of the IDP camps located in higher grounds is through use of boats. The people are therefore threatened by a couple of dangers including being attacked by crocodiles.
The iconic Soi Safari Lodge was one of the buildings that was submerged while Baringo Mixed Secondary School on the other hand was relocated after the entire school compound was submerged.
Life in the camps for the internally displaced people has been a tasking one with some remaining with nothing to depend on.
According to the residents, the lake had never over flown to that level.