By Peter Ochieng
Displaced families in Nairobi are set to recieve Sh10,000 from the government, to assist them seek for alternative accommodation.
Speaking during a visit to assess the impact of floods in Mathare on Monday, President William Ruto said each affected family will recieve Sh10,000 from his administration for the next three months.
Ruto said 40,000 households have been displaced in Nairobi.
“Every household of the 40,000 households that have been displaced in Nairobi county, will be paid Sh10,000 so that they can find alternative accommodation as we plan for their future as a government so that every Kenyan has a home and a place to call home,” said the President.
Mathare has been one of the areas badly hit by floods in the country. He assured those affected by the heavy rains that his Kenya Kwanza administration will stand with them.
“The government will stand with you,” assured the Head of State.
“Hakuna mwananchi atalala njaa, hakuna mtoto atalala njaa. Tumeweka pesa ya kutosha ya kununua chakula ya kila mtu ameathirika hapa Nairobi na Kenya mzima,” he added.
It translates to “No one will sleep hungry, no child will sleep hungry. We have allocated enough money to buy food for everyone who has been affected here in Nairobi and around the country.”
The death toll from floods occassioned by the Match, April and May rains stood at 228, by Sunday, May 5th 2024.
In a Sunday statement, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said 164 people had been injured while 72 had been reported missing.
He said that approximately 212,630 persons from 42,526 households have been displaced.
He noted that Homa Bay, Kajiado, Nakuru, Mandera and Nairobi counties are the worst affected.
President Ruto added that the government has allocated Sh1 billion to rebuild schools destroyed by floods, so that students and learners can resume their studies in time.
Schools were supposed to reopen last week for the second term, but the government has since postponed reopening until further notice due to the raging floods.
On Sunday, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) deployed a chopper to rescue those in distress after River Nyando, Ahero, Kisumu breached its banks.