President William Ruto has directed the Ministry of Education to postpone the reopening of schools, again.
This comes days after the government postponed the school reopening dates by one week following heavy rains which have caused flooding in the country.
The Kenya Meteorological Department has predicted an extended rain period, which could extend to the end of the month of May.
“The Ministry of Education is directed to postpone the dates of re-opening of all schools in the country for the second term until further notice,” Ruto stated.
In a State of the Nation Address on Friday, May 3, 2024, Ruto directed the Ministry of Special Programs to work with development partners and relevant humanitarian organisations to mobilise adequate food and non-food supplies to support persons affected by floods.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, through the National Cereals and Produce Board, has been directed to make available food supplies in government stores to support this effort.
“The Ministry of Health is directed to work with development partners, including the WHO, AMREF, Red Cross, UNHCR, WFP and other relevant humanitarian organisations to mobilise resources and logistical support to avail essential drugs and other medical supplies,” Ruto added.
The Ministry of Interior has been directed to coordinate the relocation and evacuation of the affected members of the public, identification of sites for temporary shelter for displaced persons and supervise the overall support programs.
“Members of Parliament are requested to re-organize their CDF allocations to prioritise the reconstruction of school infrastructure that has been damaged as a result of the floods,” Ruto added.
“As the National Government plays its role in dealing with the current situation, I request County Governments, Development Partners and the Private Sector to join the efforts.”
Ruto has also directed the Ministry of Interior to enforce the re-location notices issued earlier against persons who have settled on riparian land in Naribi, which expire at 6:30 pm on Tuesday.
Currently, a total of 33,100 households have been displaced, affecting approximately 165,500 people and a total of 1,967 schools have had their infrastructure destroyed by the floods.
Approximately 196,296 people have been impacted by the heavy rains that have claimed 210 lives due to severe weather conditions. A cumulative 125 people have been reported injured, while 90 people are currently missing.
“The current unprecedented crisis of floods that our country faces, as well as the recent devastating drought our country faced (the worst in 40 years, after five consecutive failed rainy seasons), is a direct consequence of our failure to protect our environment, resulting in the painful effects of climate change we are witnessing today. Our country is poised to remain in this cyclical crisis for a long time unless and until we confront the existential threat of climate change,” Ruto said.
Ruto says the government has mapped out 178 dams, and water reservoirs situated within public and private land in 33 counties, which are already full and present imminent danger to adjacent settlements.
Also, areas prone to landslides and mudslides in various counties have been identified as high-risk areas from which the adjacent settlements have to be evacuated.
Also, relocation notices have been issued to all persons living in unplanned settlements within riparian reserves along rivers, streams and other watercourses.
