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How pollution and flooding add to River Sabaki’s destruction

River Sabaki, Goodwin Uti,
For anyone visiting Malindi in Kilifi County, the sight of debris, mud, silt and sludge that is River Sabaki pouring into the Indian Ocean is an eyesore.
Mr George Shoka, a geologist, said that increased human activities upstream, erosion, siltation and climatic change have caused the sea to recede by about one kilometre.
REVITILISATION
Malindi National Museum of Kenya (NMK) librarian Doris Kamuye said photos in their possession prove that in the 1970s the Indian Ocean occupied the Bunthwani grounds along the beachfront and the NMK offices, extending towards Sinbad and the Sai Eden Roc resort.
Today the county government is upgrading the waterfront under the Malindi Waterfront Revitalisation Project. 
The first phase will cost Sh75 million.
However, hundreds of residents living along River Sabaki in Magarini are counting losses after the river began changing its course as it meanders towards the Indian Ocean.
At the height of the heavy rains that pounded the country last year, four acres of land belonging to Ms Goodwin Uti — a Kenyan-Briton who has farmed in the are for the past 40 years — were eroded in a single night. 
DISPLACED
“The river, which was about 500 metres from my farm, has been changing course over the years,” she said. 
The Nation found Ms Uti busy on her farm while some of her neighbours were waiting for relief food from the government after their crops were swept away by floods.
She said that the river’s changing course and erosion were caused by residents farming along banks and asked the National Environment Management Authority to intervene.
“It is devastating and I am worried that my land might one day be eroded away, I am also worried about all these debris and mud being carried away to the beach in Malindi,” she said.
Ms Uti said the 2018 floods, which displaced thousands of Magarini and Malindi residents, were the worst in her 40 years living in the area.
“I witnessed the 1982 floods and the El Nino in 1998 but these floods were the worst, the river burst its banks and flooded my house,” she said.
BROUGHT HIPPOS
“It was impossible to travel since everywhere was flooded.”
Ms Sarah Kalume, another resident, said floods have brought hippos closer to homes, leading to attacks on livestock and even people.
“Hippos have become a common feature in this area and children are afraid of going to school following reports of hippo attacks,” she said.
Ms Kalume appealed to the government to give residents relief food and shelter after their homes, crops and livestock were swept away by floods. About 300 flood victims are still camping at chiefs’ camps at Kakuyunis and Garashi.
Ms Uti appealed to the government to put up a footbridge so residents can cross from Sabaki Primary School to the other side of the river.
CHANGING COURSE
“The footbridge built by German investors was swept away by floods 20 years ago — residents are forced to walk or swim across the river,” she said.
Excess water
She proposed the building of dams along River Sabaki to store excess water and avoid flooding during rainy seasons.
“Lake Chemchem also pours its water in River Sabaki when it overflows — the dams will enable resident’s to practise irrigation farming.” 
Mr Majid Said, a resident of Sabaki, said the river has been changing its course over the years, eroding productive land.
COMPENSATING
“The trend is worrying. The land is no longer productive due to siltation. We fear we will lack land to farm due to erosion,” he said. 
“The government should consider compensating those affected by the floods.”

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