Kimungung River Dry up.

BY PATRICK NGENOH.

Thousands of  residents living near River kimungung in Bomet county, are under the risk of that river to dry up due the Eucalyptus planted along the river bank.

River kimungung serves more than 500,000 thousand, people from the catchment area down to the end.

According to Andrew Too a residents River Kimungung the waters overflowing the river, but now it has shrink, since eucalyptus lateral roots spread up to 100 feets out. They can grow near river and damaging the waters, its roots penetrating the soils very easily.

"This is a time bomb and we urge to the government and environmentalists  to intervene and save Kimungung from thirst", Mr Too said.

"If the eucalyptus are not cut down five years down line this river will be history to our children. I knew they are good since when you grow in few years you can sell and have money, but lets plant away from our river", Mr Too said.

Andrew Too , who lives near kimungung river said the levels have hit the lowest possible level and are posing a serious threat to aquatic animals.

" Young boys used to catch fish on this river but now they can hardly find a single trout",Too said.

Mr Reuben Loboon a resident encouraged the people living close to that river that to plant banana like the way he did to his farm near river kimungung.

"In my farm I planted bananas because I need large amount of water to cross my farm so that I use for irrigation and also to generate electricity but people have planted the eucalyptus all along the river banks, this discourages large Mass of waters in our river", Lobo stated.

Back in history that river was cared by the community so that children can learn to swim and also to dive so the career can be easily achieved.

"Swimming was the best game for young children, so people can learn to swim and you may have heard them they are in Kenya Nave, people who knew how to swim were saving lives of the people who are carried by the waters in this river", Loboon added.

The indigenous trees are suitable to be planted along the river banks. In other part trees have been cut down which was helping to prevent water for direct sunlight.

"Human are uncontrollable they cut trees which prevent water for evaporating, our late father knew many things which helped us. Young people need to be tough but they refuse our words so what can we do now", loboon said.

The spring rivers are no longer be found in those areas of Bomet county they only depend on pumped water.

The water catchments area  people take advantage of planting eucalyptus like areas of Chesoen,kapsimotwo, kapsimpiri, sigor, Kabungut and kipkebe  which are used by the surrounding schools Kabungut Boys high schools and Kipkoi mix day secondary school in Bomet central constituency.

The county government of Dr Joyce Laboso and the past regime of formor Governor Isaac Ruto and NEEMA has never done anything to conserved the water catchments and the natural environment but only living in degradation areas as the residents stated.

"Our leaders since we gained independence environment has be lowered down and not an issue concerning the country matter, but we hope our current governor Dr Laboso will shade light on this with the Neema ", Residents said.

People from far regions are coming to fatched the water for domestic purpose to struggle for survival for the fittest.

According to Josphat Ngetich said that living far from the river is a great challenge, since more effort is needed now to get water in this river.

"We pray God to give us the rain so that we collect the water in our homes like now no rain in this region. Eucalyptus is the enemy of water, it absorbs a lot of water in large capacity, we have spent much money searching for water since transport is the issue to me", Mr
Ngetich said.

The tributaries that supply water to most rivers in the region have dried up ,posing a serious threat to human beings and the livestock.

The water situation is worsening and requires urgent intervention measures the residents stated.

As the water that has a engulfed chunk of the region gains momentums drying up river and other sources of water due to eucalyptus, women are being forced to walk longer distance to find water. The distances vary from 3kms to 9kms. These distance can expose them to abuse from sex predators.