Gov’t to resettle, build houses for Mai Mahiu tragedy victims - President Ruto

President William Ruto has reassured victims of the Mai Mahiu flash flood tragedy that the State will relocate and cater for their livelihoods.

Speaking on Tuesday afternoon after visiting the scene where over 71 people lost their lives, the President said the government was fully prepared to address the situation and will resettle those affected and provide them with adequate shelter.

He expressed the government’s commitment to containing the situation across the country, saying similar actions will be taken for all flood victims to ensure they access their basic needs.

“In the Cabinet meeting today, we agreed that we will take measures to safeguard the lives of Kenyans. Your property, houses, cattle, plants and food have been swept away but we will ensure you get the necessary support. We have many people who are currently camping in schools, we have agreed to look for a place where you will stay as we look for a permanent solution,” he said.

“Kama serikali, tutahakikisha watu wa Mai Mahiu wamepata msaada mbadala; watapewa chakula, madawa, blanketi na mattress ili tupunguze uzito ambao mko nayo.”

In the same light, President Ruto said his administration would assist those residing in flood and landslide-prone areas to vacate and move to safer grounds.

For the victims, he said, a task force has been formed to assess the situation on the ground in a bid to ascertain whether they will be resettled somewhere else or assisted in rebuilding.

In cases where flooding is likely to reoccur, the President asked the people to allow the government to relocate them, further promising to procure land elsewhere and rebuild for them.

“There are many parts of the country which face a similar type of danger; for those areas, we will ask people to move earlier because the forecast shows that rains will continue. We don’t want to risk lives, so we will undertake mapping to know where there is a danger of flooding and landslides,” he said.

“We want to ask you please, do not be in a hurry to go home, the government will take care of you. We will send experts to assess the situation. If they say something like is unlikely to reoccur, then we will help you to go back and rebuild.”

He added: “But if they say there is no reassurance, then we will agree that we move you even if it requires the government to buy land somewhere else, we will do that to ensure we avoid similar tragedies…this will be done for all those people affected.”

The President consequently announced that the State had already mapped out risky areas countrywide and would issue a 48-hour notice to those people living in such areas to vacate.

“From tomorrow, we will ask those people in riparian reserves and other risk regions, we will help you to vacate so that we protect lives in time,” said Ruto.

At the same time, Ruto said multi-agency teams have since been deployed to help flood victims, search for missing bodies and offer any other relevant assistance.

“The military has been mobilized, the NYS and all security agencies have been mobilized to assist the citizens to avoid any further tragedies,” he said.

The Head of State likewise pointed out that the ministries would coordinate to help victims camping in schools to acquire any lost documentation and essential items.

“We will ensure all children go to school because we know some of you, the school fees might have been swept away, but we will help with that,” he said.

“Some people have lost IDs, birth certificates, title deeds and so we will ask the CS to put up a Huduma Centre near you to replace them.”

Ruto’s remarks come hours after Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said the State would settle hospital bills for victims of the Monday flash floods in Mai Mahiu.