Following severe floods in Kenya in April and early March, President William Ruto announced the relocation of 27,000 people who had been living on riparian land.
The government has allocated over sh.300 million to provide alternative housing for those displaced from the riverbanks.
“We have relocated 27,000 people from riparian reserves,” Ruto stated during the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday.
“We have spent close to sh.300 million to ensure they have alternative places to stay. We are currently processing the relocation of an additional 30,000 people.”
The relocation initiative has resulted in the demolition of houses in areas such as Mathare, forcing residents to seek new shelter.
These demolitions have sparked public outrage, with some homeowners alleging that bulldozers have arrived unexpectedly, causing injuries and even fatalities.
The National Treasury estimates that Kenya will require sh.2 billion to rebuild and repair crucial infrastructure damaged by the heavy rains.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee on May 28, Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo mentioned that an additional sh.1.8 billion will be allocated in the 2024-2025 budget for restoring school infrastructure.
In a report dated May 16, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura stated that the floods had resulted in 291 fatalities across the country.
Mwaura also highlighted that 55,631 households had been displaced, affecting approximately 278,155 Kenyan citizens.
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