President William Ruto has announced that schools will reopen on Monday, May 13, following the advice of the Kenya Meteorological Department.
Ruto was speaking at State House Nairobi on May 8, 2024, while meeting with leaders from Kajiado County, noting that Kenya Met has advised on ensuring schools reopen based on weather forecast.
The head of state announced the new date days after he had postponed the initial reopening of schools on May 6,2024, during a state of the nation address.
“All parents are advised on the assessment of weathermen and on the assessment of the Government of Kenya, it will now be safe, and we have made adequate arrangements and therefore all schools will be reopened on Monday, next week,” said Ruto.
Ruto announced the reopening following the extended closure that was necessitated by the floods but highlighted that a prediction by the Met Department indicated that the rains are set to reduce.
Before the postponement of the reopening to May 6 by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu which he owed to floods, the normal reopening had initially been scheduled for Monday, April 29.
School Reopening
At the time, CS Machogu indicated that the reopening of schools would be extended by one week owing to the security concerns that were posed by the flooding caused by the heavy rains.
Also Read: Ruto Gives Linturi & Other CSs Fresh Orders Amid Floods
Also, President Ruto announced that Friday 10th of May 2024 has been set as a day to remember those that have been adversely affected by the ravages of climate change.
The Head of State further said that the government will avail funds for damaged infrastructure in schools through the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
In his state of the nation address on May 3, Ruto pointed out to Cabinet Secretaries saying they are responsible for spearheading disaster response and mitigation efforts across the country following the destruction caused by floods.
Ruto on flood mitigation
President Ruto directed Departments and Agencies to work closely with the National Disaster Operations Center and Security Agencies to ensure the whole of government approach to the management of the prevailing crisis.
Also Read: Families Displaced by Floods to Receive Ksh10,000 Each for Rent – Ruto
This directive by the President comes after Kenya Met in its weekly update of May 8 to May 12,2024, announced that rainfall is expected to continue over several parts of the country.
“Heavy rainfall events are likely to occur in some parts of the Highlands East and West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin and the Rift Valley during the first half of the forecast period,” said the weatherman.
However, the department announced that rainfall intensities across the country are likely to reduce during the second half of the forecast period.
Since March, flash floods have claimed over 200 lives and displaced more than 200,000 people across 42,000 households, especially in Nairobi.
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