Hundreds of Kenyans spent the night outside amid the heavy rains following the demolition of their homes in Nairobi’s Mukuru kwa Reuben slums as directed by President William Ruto.
Many of the victims from Mukuru slums and Kibera among other areas marked as riparian reserves lamented that the government had not given alternative locations for residence.
Subsequently, some of the victims spent the night out in the cold with nothing but a few items that they managed to salvage from the demolitions.
Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino shared images of some of the victims on Saturday, May 4, morning, showing victims sleeping on couches outside their demolished homes.
He indicated that scores of them, in Mukuru slums, had nowhere else to go as the government had not made any preparations for their relocation.
“This Government is so insensitive. How do you evict People from Mukuru slums in the midst of Heavy Rainfall and Floods? Where do you expect them to go?” Babu said.
At the same time, Communications Strategist Pauline Njoroge lamented that the people relocated from Kibera slums had nowhere else to go after the eviction.
“Has the government earmarked the higher ground where people should move to, and has it set camps on that higher ground? If last night families moved in mass from Kibra, which direction should they have headed to?” Communications Strategists Pauline Njoroge noted.
Also Read: Machogu Issues New Directives on School Reopening After Ruto’s Order
Ruto Issues Directive on Relocation
Speaking on Friday, May 3, Ruto indicated that relocation notices had been issued to individuals living along rivers, streams and other water bodies.
Further, he ordered the National Treasury to provide quick resources and work with other development partners to handle the crisis. He also directed the Interior Ministry to provide new settlements for the evicted individuals.
Additionally, relocation notices have been issued to all persons living in unplanned settlements within riparian reserves along rivers, streams and other water bodies.
“In Nairobi, settlements in riparian reserves have complicated the response efforts and compounded and aggravated the risks to human life and safety. The Ministry of Interior is hereby directed to enforce the relocation notices issued earlier upon their expiry at 6:30 pm today.
“Also, the government has marked 178 dams and water reservoirs situated within public and private lands in 33 counties which are already full and present imminent danger to adjacent settlements and people,” he added.
Also Read: Ruto Gives Linturi & Other CSs Fresh Orders Amid Floods
Ministry of Interior on Resettlement
The Ministry of Interior on Friday, May 3, indicated that the government had set up a total of 115 camps to shelter families that had been displaced by floods occasioned by the ongoing heavy rains across the country.
Further, the Kindiki-led ministry noted that the camps were set up across 19 counties, hosting a total of 27,586 people.
The government has also mobilized resources to distribute essential food supplies to affected communities in several hard-hit regions.
“Government has made specific interventions to meet their essential food supplies of rice and beans totaling 336,000 Kg that have been distributed to support affected communities in Busia, Homabay, Kisumu, Machakos, Nairobi, Nakuru, and Muranga Counties,
“There is a need for more food, medical kits, and non-food items in affected Counties and where search and rescue operations are still ongoing including, Garissa, Kiambu, Migori, Narok, Kajiado, West Pokot, Nyeri, Siaya, Nyandarua, Kirinyaga, and Tana River Counties,” indicated Kindiki.
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