Lake Victoria's Sinking Shores: Kenya's Next Disaster After Coronavirus?

The Shores of Lake Victoria

As Kenya continues to combat the deadly Coronavirus which risks spreading all over the country, fumigation of vessels operating in Lake Victoria begun today in Mbita Point courtesy of a directive issued by Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti.

But even as officials from the departments of disaster management and health sprayed ferries, water busses, canoes, and boats to prevent the spread of the virus, those same waters the vessels float on might as well be a disaster in waiting.

This is according to testimonies shared by residents of the Lakeside region, who through social media painted a picture of just how scary the situation is on the ground, as the inland sea parceled out among Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania continues to slowly eat up the shore.

In a conversation sparked by ODM Communications Director and Raila Odinga Secretariat Dennis Onyango, one after the other, worried Kenyans spoke of how the rising water levels might eventually turn catastrophic if not somehow addressed.

Lake Victoria is advancing by up to 10 metres everyday and reclaiming the land it once occupied. The story is the same from Nyando to my own Kadem in Nyatike. No amount of relief food or mosquito nets will change this. We either think or sink.

— Dennis Onyango (@DennisOnyangoGM) April 8, 2020

I went to Mombasa Raha in Usenge in February, it’s completely inaccessible yet we were there in December

— Andrew Owuor (@OwuorSpekeh) April 8, 2020

How to get to Aneko beach from got kachola…terrible! pic.twitter.com/RwU2l6qXSy

— lichman (@SatiBrian) April 8, 2020

The situation is dire in Budalangi, villages have been submerged, thousands displaced and it is getting worse.

— CP (@congoplanets) April 8, 2020

This is very true, when you use the Kendu-bay katito road you will notice this, same to when you visit dunga beach Kisumu a number of houses have been submerged, same case in Misori beach where a Pier has been completely submerged.

— Leonard Apiyo (@kapiyojnr) April 8, 2020

I said metres. And in my place, it has just claimed a section of a highway that is currently being tamarcked.

— Dennis Onyango (@DennisOnyangoGM) April 8, 2020

Yeah, the lake has been extending it’s boundary every day and even claiming the highways….. farms along the shoreline are being submerged.

— Fonce Ochuka (@FonceOchuka1) April 8, 2020

This very true, we have lost acres of land. The waters have risen up by a height of more than one meter. Its a disaster waiting to explode. And it’s not due to rainfall but I think current as we have had heavier rainfall than this before.

— Evans Adoyo (@AdoyoEvans) April 8, 2020

In Kochia in homabay county the, same is happening. The residents made it worse through sand harvesting along the shores.

— kennedy ariro (@kennedyariro) April 8, 2020

I have witnessed the same in Oele beach in Bondo, it has destroyed my fruit trees, innovative ideas will help

— Julius Oliech (@oliechjulius) April 8, 2020

I think it’s not a local problem. It needs to be scaled up by the National Government as an act of Climate Change. It needs to be treated as a national security problem.

— Dennis Onyango (@DennisOnyangoGM) April 8, 2020

A study showed that Kenya might lose access to Lake Victoria which is the world's largest tropical lake in 400 years after it dries up due to climate change. Currently, Lake Victoria is out here doing the unimaginable. The lake is claiming acres of lands around it every day. 🤔

— BRAVIN YURI (@BravinYuri) April 8, 2020

Same in Bunyala Budalangi. So sad that Uhuru cant even talk of it. @EugeneLWamalwa @NelsonHavi.. pple close to Lake Victoria are dying.Budalangi is sinking. 🙏. Next its cholera. Please act b4 Corona and Cholera attacks. https://t.co/IvEgRALS5v

— Sebastian Odongo (@unclesebby) April 8, 2020

Two weeks ago, raging floods swept through several villages surrounding the waters, leaving a trail of massive destruction. In the process, hundreds of families were displaced by the floods, which swept away multiple homes.