Following the devastating impact of floods and ongoing rains that led to the displacement of over 200 households in Nataparkakono in Turkana Central, Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus today led a food distribution exercise in the affected Tobong’u Lore IDP community.
The County Government provided 100 bags of maize and 20 cartons of vegetable oil (100 litres) to the affected households.
Dr. Erus acknowledged the efforts of the Directorate of Disaster Risk Management and emphasised the need to follow Governor Jeremiah Napotikan’s directive to continue joint assessments to identify areas in need of urgent attention until the communities receive the necessary long-term help from the county and national governments and development partners.
The Deputy Governor assured the Tobong’u Lore community that they would continue to have access to water trucking until a long-term solution is implemented.
He also cautioned the community on the importance of proper hygiene mechanisms to avoid potential health hazards.
In addition to the food distribution at Nataparkakono, the County government, through the Directorate of Disaster Risk Management, has been conducting daily assessments across the county, including 156 villages, 30 wards, and 11 sub-counties in Turkana County.
The County Administrative Units have ensured government presence at the sub-county, ward, and village levels, facilitating information dissemination and relaying grassroots messages through existing channels of communication.
The County Government is working with Welthungerhilfe and UNICEF through the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) to support displaced households with non-food items in Nataparkakono, Lokangae, Todonya’ng, Kerio Delta, and Kalapata.
Dr. Erus expressed gratitude to the KRCS team in Turkana for distributing crucial non-food items to the displaced communities.
The Deputy Governor reassured the community that the County Government has included resettlement in the budget for the upcoming financial year 2024-2025, stating that a long-term resettlement solution would be found.
He called upon the county administration units, partners, and residents to prioritise care for the most vulnerable, including children under the age of five, expectant mothers, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
Lodwar Township, MCA Ruth Kuya urged the communities to work with the County Government to ensure they take action and move when cautioned, emphasising that no person with disabilities should be left behind when moving to higher grounds.
Kuya also called on the County Government to provide food and appoint health officers to attend to the displaced community to reduce the potential for health hazards, while urging the community to use the provided toilets to minimise the risks of cholera through contamination.
The CECM for Public Service, Administration, and Disaster Management, Wangiros Longole James, stated that according to the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), the rains have remained moderate to above average across the County, accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms that have resulted in loss of lives, displacement of households, damages to infrastructure, loss of livelihoods, and loss of properties.
The Kenya Red Cross Society Coordinator for Turkana County, Rukia Abubakar, called on the community to observe the government’s directive and take action to avoid harm and loss of lives. She also emphasised the need for continued joint assessment and community sensitization.
The Chief Officer for Administration and Disaster Risk Management, David Maraka, echoed the County Administration Unit and Kenya Red Cross Society for their joint assessment efforts in ensuring that even the most remote communities in Turkana have been reached and sensitised.
The County Government is working with the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) on weather forecast information sharing, which is key for preparedness.
Continuous dissemination of weather alerts is crucial in sensitization, mobilisation, and guiding evacuation when deemed appropriate, as per the national government directive, and will be carried out through the county administration.
By Peter Gitonga
