President William Ruto was urged by Mathare Member of Parliament (MP) Anthony Oluoch to address the country's flooding situation and declare it a national disaster.
During a panel discussion on Daybreak on Citizen TV, Oluoch said that the government should declare the floods a disaster and implement policies to deal with the situation.
"The first thing the Head of State should have done is to stop and address the nation. Address the nation on what the situation is, and what the government interventions that have been put in place are. Address the nation on how many people have lost their lives, what is going to be done to those who are missing, and get the government coordinated," he said.
He continued that, in contrast to having different government functions in various ministries, there should be a single government approach to dealing with the disaster.
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Aftermath of destroyed homes and vehicles in Mai Mahiu, Naivasha Sub-county, after Kijabe Dam burst; its waters washed away everything downstream. pic.twitter.com/jwu1HjVBTl
— Nation Africa (@NationAfrica) April 29, 2024
"We need to be able to address where we resident disaster. Where do we best place our resources so that when it comes to response, who should we go to?" asked the Mathare MP.
According to Oluoch, the government ought to have planned the opening of the schools and the amount of rain that is expected in the upcoming days in advance.
The Political Affairs Secretary of KANU, Fred Okang'o, agreed with the Mathare MP and questioned why President Ruto had not proclaimed the flood situation in Kenya a national disaster.
"This is a disaster. It has caused serious disruption, and therefore it has risks and threats. I don't know why President Ruto has not declared this a national disaster," he stated.
A dam in Old Kijabe bursts, sweeping through the nearby Mai Mahiu Town. Several people feared dead and others missing as Rescue operations begins.
— Omwamba 🇰🇪 (@omwambaKE) April 29, 2024
According to reports, the dam broke its banks at 2 AM causing heavy destruction in the Area.pic.twitter.com/hQJVjalBue
Okang'o faulted the government for a lack of coordination in its disaster management efforts.
"What we are seeing as challenges that we must address pronto is an uncoordinated approach to disaster management," he said.
"There is an urgent need for the government to declare this a national disaster. President William Ruto must come out this morning and declare this a national disaster. The government must coordinate all relevant departments and authorities to ensure that there is smooth management of the risks that come with this disaster."
The country's continuous downpour is still causing havoc as the death toll approaches ninety-three.
Major road transportation has come to a standstill as more lives are lost.
The events have caused the start of school to be delayed.
