The urgent shout of “aluokra!”—meaning “I’m bathing” in Luo—made me stop. I was drawn to a vast area of backflow water covering fields. While the flooding brings water closer to livestock and people, it still takes bravery for anyone to bathe in such conditions.
As I watched, ahead of me, the water stretched into stagnant pools in Siaya County. A fisherman gently checked his nets in a small boat, pulling in barely a few tired tilapia. Nearby, children played happily, splashing in the murky water, unbothered by its unpleasant smell.
For some herders, the backflow serves as a double-edged sword. After years of drought, the rain has brought lush grass. “My livestock are safe,” one herder said with a smile. Still, he admitted to being wary of small frogs lurking in the shallow edges—harmless to humans, but dangerous for cattle.
But this blessing has a darker side. Evans Gichana, the Kisumu County Director for Climate Change, points out that the severe flooding is linked to climate change. “We’re seeing risks unlike anything before,” he said.
Data support his claims. Recent studies show that precipitation patterns around Lake Victoria are changing, with more intense storms causing increased flooding. Lake Victoria already gets 80% of its water from rainfall, supplemented by 17 major rivers filled with pollutants from farming, industry, and urban areas.
Professor Leo Juma Ogalo from Great Lakes University warns, “These rivers carry not just water but also hazardous waste. The accumulation is staggering.” He describes the stagnant backflows as a “poisonous toxic sea.”
The effects are stark. Farmers like David Ombogo say past floods have destroyed crops and infrastructure, worsening food insecurity. Carlos Mayende, another farmer, describes how too much water suffocates plants, leading to crop failure.
Environmentalists like George Owade lament the loss of biodiversity in the area. “This backflow is annihilating ecosystems,” he noted, reflecting on how thriving land from the 1990s has turned into wasteland. These conditions create ideal breeding grounds for diseases such as malaria and cholera, striking communities already struggling to access clean water.
Only 21% of Kenyans enjoy piped water, leaving many to rely on contaminated lakes. Even basic hygiene becomes a risk as bathing in polluted water can lead to skin irritations and other health issues.
Professor Ogalo highlights another hidden danger: cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, thrive in warm, nutrient-rich waters. “They can be deadly,” he warned, laying bare the impacts on not just fish but livestock and people.
Despite the grim reality, some researchers see a glimmer of hope. In controlled environments, harmful algae can sometimes aid in agriculture. “Every dark cloud has a silver lining,” says Ogalo, though he admits finding safe uses for these algae in Lake Victoria is a far-off goal.
Local communities continue to draw from these contaminated waters, often unaware of the dangers. They carry the water home, use it for livestock, and let their children play in it. Agriculturalist Ombogo puts it plainly: “The situation is dire. Climate change has altered everything we knew about this land.”
The transformation around Lake Victoria reveals a stark truth. Humanity’s relationship with nature is strained, leading to a crisis reflected in every ripple of the water. The shout of “aluokra!” now resonates with urgency, serving as a warning about how a source of life has turned into a dangerous hazard. Without immediate action, this backflow could become an ever-expanding sea of peril.
Source link
Lake Victoria,Lake Victoria Backflows,Unpredictable Climate Change,Lake Victoria Water Levels
