The Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome Saturday urged for caution from motorists ahead of the reopening of schools next week.
Primary and secondary schools are due for re-opening next week during the rainy season, which poses dangers to many.
Some schools are affected by the flooding occasioned by the rains so far.
Koome said the ongoing heavy rains and floods being experienced in the country have not only claimed lives but also rendered some roads and rivers impassable.
Similarly, he said, it is expected that road traffic, both human and vehicular, will be very heavy next week.
“In the best interest of children that will be traveling back to school, and for the safety of the general public, the National Police Service would like to caution all motorists and boda boda riders to be extra vigilant on the roads, and strictly comply with traffic regulations and rules,” he said.
Koome said while police and other multi-agency teams have been deployed along the major highways, he called upon all motorists to cooperate with the law enforcement officers to improve our service delivery.
The government declared 76 people dead and thousands displaced following the ongoing heavy rainfall across the country.
The death toll increased to more than 80 on Saturday after an incident in Makueni where a lorry was swept away by raging water.
The government has scaled up measures to mitigate disaster caused by the ongoing enhanced rains and floods, even as the meteorological department warned that heavy rainfall will continue through to the weekend.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Friday said the government has made several interventions such as a financial allocation of Sh4 billion for immediate response to the rain’s havoc.
He said since the onset of the current heavy rainfall, 75 people had by Friday lost their lives, 22 were injured, and eight people are missing.
He added that 131,179 people have been affected by the rains and that contingency plans have been developed to enhance the coordination of the emergency response.
He further asked Kenyans to stop daring nature and be responsible during the rainy season.
“We appeal to Kenyans to be responsible for their own lives and safety.
Do not dare nature.
In some instances, we have seen people being adventurous and daring to cross swollen rivers.
We urge Kenyans to exercise caution and be responsible for their own lives.
They must know they carry the aspirations of their families,” he said.
To those living in areas prone to landslides and near the Kiambere Water Dam, Gachagua asked them to relocate to safer grounds.
Other interventions, he said, include resettlement of displaced families, restoration of bridges washed away by the raging waters, repair of critical infrastructure, activation of the National Disaster Response Centre, and distribution of food, non-food and pharmaceutical items to the affected families.
“We are in discussions with the National Treasury and we are trying to put up Sh4 billion as an emergency fund.
The National Youth Service will be facilitated to resettle the displaced families, unblock drains and waterways, and handle the spilling dams.
The National Disaster Response Centre will be 24 hours open to monitor the situation in the country,” said Gachagua.
Speaking during a meeting on review of emergency response actions relating to the ongoing flood situation in Kenya at his official residence in Karen, Gachagua also asked County Governments to realign their budgets to mitigate the effects of ongoing rains.
