Kerugoya,
Wednesday April 17 2024,
KNA by Mutai Kipngetich
Kirinyaga County Commissioner Hussein Allasow urges residents in flood-prone areas to remain vigilant due to increased rainfall causing flash floods in Mwea East and West sub counties.
Speaking when he presided over a tree planting exercise by all heads of departments at Kerugoya Police headquarters, Allasow confirmed that no deaths had been reported.
However, destruction of property and homes in some of the affected areas. He further asked those who may not have alternatives resident to contact local administration officers for assistance.
The Commissioner insisted that the County is not known for floods being the reason why there is no designated rescue center.
The county security has identified temporary rescue centers at Thiba Primary and secondary.
“We request our people to move to safer places as early as possible before being swept away. So far no deaths have occurred but destruction of property, homes and some shops.
Kirinyaga has not been experiencing floods that is why we don’t have a rescue centers but Thiba primary and secondary schools is our rescues centers for now,” Allasow said.
On tree planting, he called all stakeholders to incorporate tree planting in all their activities. He added the rains being experienced currently provide the right time for tree planting and every citizen should embark on.
Kenneth Muthuri, the county forest conservator at Kirinyaga County, said that they have joined hands with the security team to plant trees to mark the long -rains tree planting season.
Muturi noted the exercise is also to answer the clarion call from the president to have about 15 billion trees planted within the next 10 years.
Last year Kirinyaga County planted about 1 .6 million, as captured in Jazamiti app that the government is using to trace and document the data on tree planting.
“This year we are trying to go beyond a million target annually, up to this stage we have planted about 146 ,000 seedlings since the start of the year.
Together with the county commissioner we launched the tree planting on the international day of forest and other planting occasions are coming,” Muthuri said.
The conservator requested all departments make sure that they utilize the public lands, take advantage of the rains and help the country to achieve the required forest cover of that percent by 2022.
“We want to ensure that our mother nature doesn’t punish us for damaging it. We come together and continue planting everywhere along the roads, within government infrastructures, in the forest, in the farms.” He added
Kenya Forest is also collaborating with the Kirinyaga Youth Chapter to ensure that they capture in every ward and sub -county those areas that they are able to plant.
Courtesy; KNA
