Govt puts major Interventions on flood menace across the country

 

Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura helps in the distribution of non-food items to victims of the floods in Kabonyo/Kanyagwal in Kisumu County. With him is Idris Mohamed, Secretary General Kenya Red Cross-Photo and Story By Dickson Odhiambo

May 8, 2024

Govt puts major Interventions on flood menace across the country

The Kenya Kwanza Government has put various interventions to help in addressing the issue of the flood menace witnessed in some parts of the country due to heavy rains.

Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura says one of the interventions is to ensure that there is adequate food and non-food items given to victims of floods across the country.

He says however says there is thus an immediate need for increased food and non-food items, as well as resource mobilization for search and rescue, in most of the affected areas.

Mwaura says the government has deployed varied mechanisms to handle the disaster and to manage the ongoing evacuations.

“The KDF & NYS have been deployed to assist in the SAR efforts while the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO) have been mobilized to assist residents to move to safer areas,” Mwaura says.

 

Speaking during the distribution of non-food items organized by the Kenya Red Cross in in partnership with the National Government for residents of Kabonyo/Kanyagwal ward in Kisumu County, the Government spokesperson said the government is implementing a humane and structured evacuation process where evacuations are taking place during the day between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

“Temporary shelters are being provided to the affected groups. This is a departure from the past, where affected residents were arbitrarily evacuated without any government assistance. The impacted households are also receiving food, blankets medicines, mattresses to cushion them from the harsh weather elements,” Mwaura says.

Mwaura says in other parts of the country, those who have lost their basic documents are being assisted through the deployment of the civil registry, lands, the Kenyan National Examination Council (KNEC) and registration of persons departments that been mobilized on the ground.

 

The Government Spokesperson adds that a database of the affected households is also being compiled into a priority list of beneficiaries, or the social housing program.

 

“20,000 units will be put up within Nairobi County to move these households from the slum and riparian areas into homes, where they would continue to pay KES 3,000 as rent, until they are able to own their own homes,” he further says.

 

He further says as a government, they are grateful for the continued support from development and international partners, adding that the United Nations has pledged up

to US Dollar 7 Million in support to approximately 900 million people globally.

“This will go a long way in enhancing the ongoing interventions in the affected countries,” he further adds.

 

Mwaura says the British High Commission in Nairobi has also announced an emergency funding uplift of Kenyan Shillings 140 million to support the ongoing relief efforts across the country.

 

 He says these amounts will be channeled through UNICEF and will enable the provision of cash assistance to approximately 6,900 households who have been most affected by the extreme weather.

 

“UNICEF will also provide health, nutrition and sanitation services including safe drinking Water, temporary sanitation facilities and hygiene kits, to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the affected populations and to help prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases. Previous funding from the UK government has provided cash assistance to 1,800 families in Tana River County as well as healthcare and sanitation services,” Mwaura further adds.

 

Mwaura says about 238 people have lost their lives due to the flood menace across the country.

 

“A total number of 174 people have been injured, with 75 individuals reported missing. The number of households displaced and the number of households affected stand at 47,000 HHS and 57,202 HHS respectively,” he says.

 

He further says Nairobi County has the highest number of affected persons at 146,354, adding that Eastern region has a total of 5,957 displaced households with the Rift Valley region reporting the highest number of injuries at 128 persons.