Residents of Mudende village in Bunyala, Busia County, live in worry of snake bites after the reptiles, carried by flood waters, invaded their properties.
Families who haven’t moved out of their deserted properties have reported a rise within the variety of snakes threatening their lives.
Florence Akinyi, a resident, mentioned they encountered snakes of various sorts and sizes every day.
“It is barely by the grace of God that we’re alive. We have seen black mambas, inexperienced mambas, cobras, you title it. We are scared,” mentioned Ms Akinyi.
Akinyi is one in every of a bunch of residents who’ve refused to heed calls by the authorities for villagers to depart their flooded properties and search refuge on increased floor.
Mrs Akinyi and her neighbours declare they’ve been pressured to remain put to guard their property from marauding thieves.
“There are individuals who go to the deserted homes at evening and cart away home goods,” she mentioned.
Oscar Wambia, a resident of Mudambi village, mentioned this was the primary time that they had skilled flooding within the space.
“Our farms, homes and even the police put up in Mudembe have been submerged,” Mr Wambia mentioned.
Residents are nervous that their youngsters won’t be able to attend faculty when it reopens subsequent week.
“As it’s now, we can’t access the market or our neighbours’ homes as a result of they’re all submerged,” mentioned Mr Wambia.
Charles Okumu is already planning to build a 3rd home after two of his earlier homes had been destroyed by the perennial flooding.
In 2017, Mr Okumu constructed a Sh350,000 home in Mudembe village.
The home was washed away by the water in the course of the heavy rains in 2019.
He wished to put money into one other home costing Sh450,000, which he believed wouldn’t be affected by the floods as a result of it was constructed on increased floor.
“I’ve exhausted all my financial savings and don’t have anything to build one other home in case the floods destroy this one too,” mentioned Mr Okumu.
Residents at the moment are calling on the federal government to build embankments alongside the Nzoia River to deal with the injury brought on by the floods.
A complete of 786 households have been affected by the floods and the quantity is predicted to rise because the rains intensify.
