The government has scaled up measures to mitigate disaster caused by the ongoing enhanced rains and floods, even as the meteorological department warned that heavy rainfall will continue through to the weekend.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Friday said the government has made several interventions such as financial allocation of Ksh.4 billion for immediate response to the rain’s havoc.
Other interventions, he said, include resettlement of displaced families, restoration of bridges washed away by the raging waters, repair of critical infrastructure, activation of the National Disaster Response Centre and distribution of food, non-food and pharmaceutical items to the affected families.
“We are in discussions with the National Treasury and we are trying to put up Sh4 billion as an emergency fund. The National Youth Service will be facilitated to resettle the displaced families, unblock drains and waterways and handle the spilling dams. The National Disaster Response Centre will be 24 hours open to monitor the situation in the country,” said the Deputy President.
Speaking during a meeting on review of emergency response actions relating to the ongoing floods situation in Kenya at his official residence in Karen, the Deputy President also asked County Governments to realign their budgets to mitigate the effects of ongoing rains.
Development partners, Kenya Private Sector Association, Cabinet Secretaries, government officials, Media Owners Association and Council of Governors representatives Abdulswamad Nasir (Mombasa) and Johnson Sakaja (Nairobi) among other stakeholders were present.
DP Gachagua stated that the national and county governments will work together in mitigating effects of the rains.
He said since the onset of the current heavy rainfall, 70 people have lost their lives, 22 injured and that eight people are missing.
