Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has announced that the government is keenly monitoring the floods experienced across the country with a view to alleviating the suffering of citizens.
Speaking today at the Regional Commissioner’s office in Mombasa, Mwaura regretted that it is disturbing that some Kenyans are losing lives due to their daring nature by staying in flood-prone areas and their failure to be cautious about fast-moving waters.
He said that the government is focused on issuing constant reminders through different agencies to urge everyone to be observant of any danger, particularly flash floods and mudslides.
“The country continues to experience heavy and persistent rainfall; the unfortunate results of these unfavourable weather patterns have included the destruction of property and infrastructure, the displacement of families, and the loss of lives,” he said.
Schools have been highly impacted by adverse weather conditions across the country. The data that has been received from various government agencies indicates that learners from some schools are unable to conduct any activities due to the severe nature of floods.
“As a government, we had earlier said that we would only deal with individual schools because we didn’t want to have a blanket postponement of the opening of schools. The various reports received have made it necessary to postpone school opening. We are going to review the matter this week on the new weather updates to help us plan forward,” Mwaura said.
To mitigate the escalating casualty count, the government emphasises the need for immediate action, noting that a significant portion of the casualties are individuals on transit. In light of this, the government advocates for a temporary postponement of school openings to ensure the safety and well-being of students and their families.
He highlighted that they have been receiving questions as to why the report was made late and, in a rejoinder, said that it is because the government did not want to make a unilateral decision without cause or reason.
“Therefore, to this end, through the Ministry of Education, the government has had to postpone the opening of primary and secondary schools by one week to May 6th, 2024. The move is intended to safeguard the lives of learners and staff in the affected areas and to enable the government to put in place adequate safety measures in all the identified schools and communities.
The Government Multi-Agency Response Committee on Floods is undertaking a valid emergency response to the affected population in response to the directive by the President, on April 23, 2024, to step up response efforts on the flood situation across the country.
The Kenya Meteorological Department has alerted the public about the persistent heavy rains that are likely to affect various regions, including the Lake Victoria Basin, some highlands, lowlands East and West of Rift Valley, Nairobi, and North East and Western Kenya.
The government advises the residents of these areas to keep an eye out for flash floods and poor visibility.
Additionally, those affected can reach the National Disaster Operation Centre through the number 0800721571, and a toll-free line 1508 has also been established by the Nairobi County Emergency Operation Centre.
He noted that there have been 103 reported deaths so far due to the floods, with the Rift Valley region reporting the highest loss of 21 lives. 29 people have been injured, and 21 people have been reported as missing. Additionally, the current number of displaced households is 28,484, with approximately 185,297 people affected.
By Fatma Said
