Kenya National Union of Teachers officials have urged the government to change its approach to ending banditry in the North Rift region, stating that years of unyielding fight against bandits call for a new solution.
The First National Vice Chairman, Malel Langat, emphasised the importance of beefing up security and using local solutions to restore order. Langat emphasized the need for immediate reconstruction of schools and strengthening security to allow children to resume learning as schools are set to reopen in early May.
The death of military officers, including the Chief of Defense Forces, was a turning point in dealing with banditry in the region. The government should reconsider its approach to end the menace and ensure the safety of children and teachers.
The County Director of Meteorology, Anthony Kinyua, has warned residents in landslide-prone areas in Murang’a County of the potential for mudslides due to saturated soils and steep terrain.
Some parts of the upper zones have witnessed mudslides, causing significant destruction of property. Kinyua also noted that some areas have recorded above-average rainfall in April and warned of potential splash floods in urban areas.
Lower areas of Murang’a are likely to experience floods due to swollen rivers and water spillage at the Ndakaini Dam in Gatanga Sub County. Kinyua called on motorists to exercise caution as some roads have witnessed mudslides with debris blocking sections of the roads.
The county Red Cross coordinator, Ms. Immaculate Iteba, reported that three houses in Kiharu and one in Kangema subcounties have been destroyed by mudslides.
A trained team from the Red Cross is monitoring the situation in villages and advising locals on precautions to take.
The Mombasa County Government is working on the restoration of grave sites in the area, which were previously unmanned and lacked perimeter walls, leading to unscrupulous traders setting up shacks.
Deputy Governor Francis Thoya, who is also the County Executive Committee Member for Environment, Solid Waste Management, and Energy, is supervising the gravesite restoration.
The restoration of Mbaraki Cemetery, a historical gravesite where the remains of First and Second World Wars soldiers are interred, has already been completed.
Kongowea Cemetery, which was on the verge of being turned into a dumpsite by traders from the nearby Kongowea market, is now in high gear. County trucks are removing trash while construction of a boundary wall is starting.
The government’s intervention is timely as it will relieve the anguish of relatives seeing their loved ones’ graves being slowly turned into a marketplace. DG Thoya pleaded with traders to remove their belongings from the gravesites lest they be forcefully evicted.
Kakamega County Deputy Governor Ayub Savula has assured contractors and suppliers that the county government is committed to clearing all pending bills.
The current administration inherited over Sh1.4 billion from the previous regime, and they have managed to pay Sh900 million.
The county government is committed to paying at least Sh100 million every month to clear the debts. The Deputy Governor also disclosed that the county reports progress made in clearing bills to the Senate.
He urged traders in Kakamega to continue their businesses and encouraged suppliers and contractors to visit the county government to discuss their pending bills.
Savula also urged teachers to engage in other income-generating activities, such as businesses, to supplement their monthly income.
Machakos County Chief of Staff Lawrence Ngovi has urged residents of Syokimau and Katani in the county to relocate to safer areas after their homes were submerged by flash floods due to heavy rainfall.
The County government is digging trenches to drain the water and rescue the marooned families, collaborating with the National Government to ensure their safety.
Athi River Deputy County Commissioner, Mr. Patrick Mwangi, assured that the government would evacuate all families affected by the floods. Mwangi attributed the flooding to poor drainage and asked residents to relocate to safer grounds.
The Multi-agency team has directed all affected households to evacuate from their premises due to the ongoing heavy rains to avoid any disaster. Ngovi also called upon well-wishers to donate both food and non-food items to help the affected families.