Heavy rains raise flood risk along Mara River, Govt warns
Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa said the government was using hydrometric and gauging stations to monitor river flows and provide early warnings to communities.
Bomet, Kenya - The Kenyan government has issued a warning about above-normal rainfall and increased flood risk along the Mara River, as it intensifies monitoring efforts to safeguard communities. Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa disclosed that the government is utilizing hydrometric and gauging stations to observe river flows and promptly alert communities when necessary. He expressed concern that rainfall levels would exceed the norm during the 15th Mara Day celebrations in Bomet.
Water management expert Kevin Gichangi from WWF-Kenya emphasized the significance of the Mara River to both communities and wildlife, stressing the need for joint management by Kenya and Tanzania. He highlighted that the river serves as the sole consistent water source for the broader Mara ecosystem, sustaining communities, wildlife, and livelihoods. Gichangi explained that the two countries are already collaborating to implement Integrated Water Resources Management, facilitated by community-based organizations.
East African Community, ASALs and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary Beatrice Askul Moe pointed out that the river faces threats from deteriorating water quality, unsustainable land use practices, the degradation of upstream watersheds, and increasing water demand. Moe stressed that the Mara River operates beyond national boundaries, and hence, cooperation between Kenya and Tanzania is essential for its protection.
She urged both nations to enhance cooperation on catchment protection, restoration of degraded land, climate resilience, and responsible water use.
Mugaa further underscored that the Mara River supplies resources to various sectors in Kenya, such as livestock, agriculture, tourism, and wildlife, before entering Tanzania, where it supports the Serengeti ecosystem and local populations. He stressed that issues arising upstream have downstream implications and that neither Kenya nor Tanzania can manage the river independently.
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