A massive gully sits in Kiamunyi estate. Before its arrival, a small crack had developed on the ground as if to serve as a warning for what was to come. And as the heavens opened this week, the waters came down eager to break the earth apart. Its wrath brought down a perimeter wall, living the unfinished house hanging precariously.

In 2020, a similar occurrence was witnessed in Shabab estate. A section of the road sank creating a hole in the ground and cracks in the neighbouring walls. The hole was later filled up with rocks and patched up with tarmac to appear good as new.

In 2018, Mai Mahiu was split open. The 50 feet deep gorge cut across the road spanning 20 meters wide. Some people called it a wonder of the world. Others, mostly residents, saw it as a threat to their very existence and ran to safety.

That Nakuru county lies along the Rift valley should not make these fissures a surprise. The presence of the dormant Menengai crater is proof enough that there is a history of active seismic activity in this region. This alone calls for an intentional look into these cracks.

Nakuru boasts of having one of the country’s premier research institutions; Egerton University. The institution holds some of the brightest minds in matters geology and hydrology. These are professors who have repeatedly exported their knowledge to other countries during international forums. It is time that their knowledge is used to understand why the ground is sinking and what areas are safe to live in and build on.

The county’s planning department should collaborate with these experts to guide residents in areas prone to gullies. As a city, Nakuru is looking towards developing infrastructure worth billions. It would be a shame if this infrastructure would sink to the ground, literally, because of lack of collaboration between the county and geology experts.

Research into Kiamunyi's bizarre land crack is important

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