Deputy President William Ruto said out of that amount, Sh500 million would be used to repair roads while Sh100 million would be used to buy food and basic necessities for the affected families.
He said Sh1 billion would be used to take care of other emergencies.
The Deputy President said the government would soon establish a disaster management authority to mitigate the effects of natural calamities.
Speaking at St Paul’s Catholic Church in Matuu on Sunday, Mr Ruto noted that the government had stepped up efforts to supply relief food to those affected by floods as it explored long-term solution to the perennial problem.
“I want to assure Kenyans that we are putting everything in place to contain floods among other emergencies which might arise so as to eliminate guesswork,” he said.
Threat to food security
More than 500 hectares of food crops have been submerged by floods that have also disrupted the distribution of relief supplies in parts of the North Rift as heavy rains continue to wreak havoc.
In Pokot North District, more than 400 acres of crop at Konyao division have been swept by floods, posing a threat to food security in an area that often experiences food shortage.
“The anticipated 8,000 bags of maize at Konyao division might not be realised since the crop has been submerged by water,” said Pokot North district agriculture officer Philip Ting’a.
He said the district had received six tonnes of maize seed and 5.5 tonnes of sorghum seed for planting this season but the heavy rains might lead to low yield.
Several hectares of maize, millet and sorghum have been submerged in Sigor, West Pokot County, after River Wei Wei burst its banks.
Humanitarian agencies in the region are experiencing difficulties distributing relief food as most roads have been rendered impassable.
In Tana River County, women and youth leaders have urged the government to provide mobile clinics to flood-prone areas to help expectant mothers deliver safely.
A mother of seven, who had been in labour for five days, died last Saturday because she could not access a hospital.
Labour complications
Ms Rahima Abdullah Roba died at Kone village after floods cut off Kone-Assa-Garsen road making it difficult to take her to Garsen Health Centre, 160 kilometres from the village.
Mr Idris Komoli, Ms Roba’s cousin, said traditional midwives unsuccessfully tried for four days to help her deliver the baby. She had developed complications.
“I left home for Garsen on Monday and was in very jovial mood. On Friday I received a call that she had been in labour for four days and I was asked to arrange for a vehicle to rush her to hospital at Garsen,” he said.
“We didn’t make it because of heavy rains and floods. Early morning on Saturday I was informed that she had died.”
Mr Komoli said many villages near Tsavo East National Park had been marooned by floods.
In Siaya County, two families were displaced in West Ugenya location after River Nzoia burst its banks.
Ugenya district commissioner Caroline Onchoka said the families had moved to higher grounds. Other residents living in flood-prone areas had been asked to relocate to higher grounds.
Kenya Red Cross Siaya branch coordinator James Akelo said the water level in the river had risen to five metres by yesterday morning, more than the warning height of 4.6 metres.
River Nzoia bursts its banks every rainy season, causing floods in Budalang’i constituency.
Rehabilitated dykes
However, there were no floods in the constituency for the first time after the rehabilitation of dykes.
National Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation has assured Budalang’i residents that the heavy rains would not destroy the rehabilitated Bunyala dykes.
Ewaso Ng’iro South Development Authority has also promised to construct three check dams and water reservoirs at a cost of Sh550 million in Suswa and Narok town to stop floods.
The organisation’s managing director, Mr Charles Sunkuli, said the dams would prevent the damage caused by perennial floods in the area.
“The floods have caused major disturbances, destruction of property and loss of life. It occurs due to land degradation on the watersheds, flood basins and excess surface run-off occasioned by change in land use,” said Mr Sunkuli.
In Migori County, women representative Dennitah Ghati appealed to the government to move with speed to save floods victims.
“As we seek long-term solutions, what the Nyatike residents need most are short-term measures including food, medical supplies, mosquito nets, tents and bedding,” she said.
In Kisumu County, Nyanza provincial director of medical services Ojwang Lusi has urged health officials in flood-prone areas to be on high alert to avert water-borne diseases.
Speaking in Nyakach District while assessing the damage caused by floods in the region yesterday, Dr Lusi said the number of people suffering from water-borne diseases in the area had increased.
“Thousands of flood victims in Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori counties have been reported ill in various hospitals because their mosquito nets were swept away by floods,” he said.
“Some HIV/Aids patients have lost their drugs which were swept by floods and most are now vulnerable to malaria and water-borne diseases”.
Sand harvesting banned
In Murang’a County, environment director Ezrah Ng’ang’a has banned sand harvesting and stone mining after a man was killed by falling stones at a quarry.
Mr Ng’ang’a said the mining ban would only be lifted after the heavy rains pounding the area subside.
“We have decided to close the quarries and ask all those working there to stop mining until the end of the rainy season,” he said.
The environment official told journalists at the weekend that the rains had weakened the soils, especially in mining areas.
Source: Daily Nation
