THE GREAT DELUGE IN KENYA: Climate Change, Divine Retribution, or Policy Failure?

"And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." ~ Genesis 6:12 - King James Version

In the ancient texts, The Great Deluge was a divine response to the corruption and violence that had consumed the earth. Today, as Kenya grapples with its own version of a Great Deluge, the floods that have swept across our lands are not of mythic proportions, but their revelations are equally profound. The question that lingers on is are these floods a form of divine retribution as a punishment for our sins or are they a stark reminder of our failure to protect our environment and to implement policies that would mitigate the effects of such natural disasters?

INTRODUCTION: The Floods as a Mirror of our Society

The rains began as a blessing, a respite from the heat and dust, but they swelled into a torrent of destruction. Homes, lives, and dreams were washed away in the deluge that eerily echoed the biblical account of Noah and the Great Flood. The waters rose, indifferent to status or creed, and in their wake, the hidden sordid underbelly of Kenya's society was laid bare.

The floods hold up a mirror to our society, reflecting the disparities between the rich and the poor, the well prepared and the most vulnerable. Not only have they questioned the solidity of our critical infrastructure and the readiness of our leaders to deal with such disasters but they have also exposed the cracks in our societal foundations, much like the biblical flood that laid bare the faults of the old world.

The floods did not only submerge homes and displace thousands of people but also brought to the surface the deep-seated issues that have long been hidden beneath the veneer of economic growth and political stability. This article thus seeks to analyze the recent floods in Kenya through the lens of climate change, divine retribution, and policy failure, questioning whether they are a natural disaster, a consequence of divine wrath, or as a result of human negligence.

CLIMATE CHANGE: The Floods as a Natural Disaster

Climate change, a global phenomenon caused by human activities, has been linked to the increasing frequency and severity of floods. The consensus among most scientists is that the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other human activities have led to an increase in global temperatures, causing glaciers to melt and sea levels to rise, which in turn, has led to more frequent and severe floods.

In Kenya, the effects of climate change have been exacerbated by deforestation and the destruction of wetlands, which act as natural buffers against the floods. The unchecked exploitation of these natural resources, driven by greed and a lack of regard for the environment, has left the country vulnerable to devastating effects of the floods.

Leading scientists have long warned of the "Noah's Ark" that we must all build: a world united against the rising tides of climate change. Yet, as the floodwaters continue to claim more territory, we must ask ourselves if we truly heeded the call or did we just ignore all the signs, the data, and the science only to be caught totally unprepared and unaware when the rains refuse to cease?

DIVINE RETRIBUTION: The Floods as a Moral Reckoning

In the Book of Genesis Chapter 6:5, God looked upon a corrupt world and saw that "the wickedness of man was great in the earth" and as divine punishment, God sent a great flood to wipe out all the living creatures under the heavens, sparing only the righteous Noah and his family, together with a pair each of the representatives of the animal kingdom aboard the ark. Kenya now reels from the catastrophic floods and some are drawing parallels to this ancient biblical tale.

The story of Noah and the Flood as told in the Book of Genesis is a classic tale of divine retribution; the tale of a Great Deluge sent by God to cleanse the earth of corruption and wickedness. The current floods in Kenya, while not exactly of the biblical proportions, have similarly laid bare the corruption and wickedness that have long plagued the country.

The lack of proper infrastructure, the disregard for environmental regulations, and the rampant corruption that have allowed for construction of substandard buildings on flood plains and riparian reserves have all contributed to severity of the floods. Some view the recent floods in Kenya as divine retribution, a call to moral reckoning - corruption, inequality, and injustice have long plagued our nation. Are the floods then a reflection of a higher judgment, urging us to cleanse our society of its ills, as The Great Deluge once cleansed the earth?

POLICY FAILURE: The Floods as a Man-Made Disaster

The ongoing floods in Kenya have submerged vast swaths of land leading to the immense suffering, displacement of hundreds of thousands, and a rising death toll. However, there is another perspective that must be examined - whether the Great Deluge afflicting Kenya is not just an "Act of God" or "Mother Nature", but rather a man-made disaster caused by failed leadership and disastrous policies.

Perhaps the most uncomfortable truth is that this flood is a man-made disaster, born from policy failure of poor urban planning, deforestation, and inadequate disaster management that have all contributed to the scale of this catastrophe. The waters do not discriminate but our policies may have paved the way for their relentless path of destruction.

It is evident that the ongoing floods in Kenya are not divine punishment but are a manifestation of policy failure, being the result of years of neglect, corruption, and disregard for the environment. They are a stark reminder of the urgent need for policy reforms, for the implementation of stricter environmental regulations, and for the promotion of sustainable development.

LESSONS FROM THE GREAT DELUGE IN KENYA: Reflections on Noah's Covenant with God

The Great Deluge in the Bible ended with a promise from God never to destroy the earth again with a flood. In Kenya, the floods will eventually subside, but the damage they have caused will remain. The key question is have we learnt from this disaster, or will we continue down the same path, awaiting the next deluge?

Kenya's flood crisis did not arise overnight from the whims of the climate or a vengeful deity. It is a crisis exacerbated by decades of poor urban planning, inadequate investment in infrastructure, ecological disruption, deeply rooted inequality and poverty that have rendered millions vulnerable.

1. Poor Urban Planning

In Kenya's capital Nairobi, unplanned urban sprawl and encroachment on natural drainage systems have turned the city into a ticking bomb in the rainy season. The failure to invest in proper drainage, sustainable housing for slum residents, and zoning regulations to control expansion laid the groundwork for the current disaster. Rural areas have also suffered equally from short-sighted policies that ignored environmental preservation and climate resiliency. Deforestation, soil degradation from overpopulated farming settlements, and lack of flood control infrastructure meant the deluge had nowhere to go but into homes and farms.

2. Deeply Rooted Inequality

Beyond just being a humanitarian emergency, the Great Deluge has exposed the ugliest underbelly of Kenya's society - one where the poor and marginalized bear the brunt of leadership failures. Just as Noah's tale divided the world between the pious and the wicked, Kenya's flood has starkly highlighted the canyon between the nation's elite and the impoverished masses who have lost everything. While the affluent could retreat to the modern arks of luxury homes and hotels, those in sprawling informal settlements of Kenya's cities and villages found no such refuge. Their ramshackle structures were simply swept away by the raging brown waters, a testament to the entrenched systemic inequality.

3. Unsustainable Environmental Policies

Let's make no mistake, it is apt that the Great Deluge has natural triggers in an age of climate change but to simply write it off as an "Act of God" or "Mother Nature" would be disingenuous and irresponsible. This catastrophe lays bare the policy negligence, poor governance and lack of foresight that has compounded the crisis. Rather than aimlessly seeking divine explanations, Kenyans would be better served if their leaders looked inward at their own failures to prioritize resilient urban development, sustainable environmental policies, and just economic system that lifts all citizens to higher ground - not just the elite few.

As the world witnesses the images reminiscent of the biblical great deluge, the people of Kenya deserve an honest reckoning and commitment to reform, lest the Great Deluge in Kenya becomes a recurring plague rather than a once-in-an-epoch tragedy.

CONCLUSION: Building our "Noah's Ark" to Mitigate the Floods

In conclusion, the ongoing floods in Kenya are not a simple case of a natural disaster or divine retribution. They are a complex issue that requires a nuanced understanding of climate change, environmental degradation, and policy failure. They are a call to action, a wake-up call for all of us to take responsibility for our actions and to implement policies that will protect our environment and people. The Great Deluge in Kenya is not just a story from the past, it is a warning for the present and a lesson for the future.

As we stand amidst the rising waters, we must decide the shape, size and the dimensions of our "Noah's Ark" that will be one of resilience built on the pillars of sustainable development and equitable policies and not an ark of ignorance destined to be overwhelmed by the next wave of challenges. The floods have given us a glimpse of our own reflection and it is up to us to determine what we will do with this revelation. Whether we will rise to the occasion or whether we will just wait for the waters to recede only to return to our old ways, the choice is ours, and the time to act is NOW!