While many admire Lake Nakuru for its pink flamingos that people travel from far to see, locals living near the lake have sad stories to tell.

According to a report submitted to the county government on 2 December 2021, "since September 2010, the water level in Lake Nakuru and seven other lakes in the Rift Valley has risen to extraordinary levels. The rise in lake levels has resulted in the submergence of almost all the land bordering the lakes and the displacement of thousands of people".

The report, titled Rising Lakes and Beaconing the Highest Water Mark in Lake Nakuru, also concluded that infrastructure such as roads, settlements, social amenities, grazing land, farmland, fish landing and processing facilities, power lines, water supply structures and wildlife habitats had been destroyed, leading to significant loss of livelihoods and biodiversity.

In addition, human-wildlife conflicts increased due to shrinking habitats and stress on both animals and humans.

Water from Lake Nakuru overflows past a fence in Mwariki estate.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

In 2019, the lake began to swell more and more, with water gushing out of the ground, forcing people to leave their homes.

Despite this, some people have decided to return to their homes, while the lake continues to show signs of receding, with some areas such as Mwariki already affected.

Locals here cite the high cost of living as the reason for returning to their homes despite the danger posed by the lake.

Mtaa Wangu visited some of the worst affected areas, including Mwariki and areas 44 and 45.

We meet Teresia Wangari as she prepares her land for planting. She is back in her home, even though the lake has receded.

Teresia Wangari ploughs her land in preparation for the planting season.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

"I moved out of my house in 2020 after the water started flowing into my house, forcing my grandchildren and me to seek refuge in the Bagii area where I rented a one-room house," she says.

The mother of two notes that she decided to return home at the end of last year after she was unable to cope with the expenses involved in renting a Sh5,000 house, adding that it was difficult to service the loan she took out to buy the land on which her house is built and also to pay the rent.

"I bought everything from the most basic things like sukumawiki that I used to grow in my house. The rent also became unmanageable because I did not have a job at the time. I just came back to ease the burden on my children," said Wangari.

The task force that investigated the rising water levels in Lake Nakuru attributed the rising water levels mainly to heavy rainfall between 2010 and 2020, which was linked to climate change.

Sedimentation in the lake and seismic activity (tremors experienced in an area over time), which could have caused increased erosion and subsequent siltation, were also considered as contributors to the rising water levels.

Simon Karanja watches his cows grazing on his land that was recently covered by water from Lake Nakuru.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

Another resident, Simon Karanja, says they moved out of their house after the water infiltrated it. However, they had to rent a two-bedroom house in the same area because of the affordability of houses in Mwariki.

"I have heard people say that where our houses are, there might have been water at some point. My fear is that one day we may be permanently displaced from this place when nature reclaims its course," said Karanja as he gazed at the lake.

What Karanja sees as hearsay may in fact be true, as the report notes, where experts share that "looking at the topography of the maps of the lake, some of the riparian lands may have been under the influence of the lake at some point in the past".

In a nutshell, the report states that 'although landowners may not be asked to move, they should be made aware that they are living in areas that may be inundated at some point in the future. They may be asked to develop their land with this in mind'.

Karanja notes that life has changed completely since his home was flooded.

Some of the fish from Lake Nakuru.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

"We graze our cattle in the open during the day and fish for food at night after most of what we had was destroyed by the water. Fishing in the lake is banned, but we do it anyway," said Karanja.

He added that they sell the fish to the nearest centre to earn a living and take some home to eat.

Some of the abandoned houses in Mwariki estate that were destroyed by water overflowing from Lake Nakuru.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

Karanja says what he used to call home in Mwariki is now a ruin, roofless and uninhabitable. He is pleading with the government to come to the aid of the affected people in the region.

Wanjirukinuthia20@gmail.com

Feature: Lake Nakuru reclaims its space, displacing thousands in Mwariki

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