During a visit to the Mathare slum in Nairobi, President William Ruto pledged emergency financial assistance to every household affected or displaced by the floods in the Kenyan capital.
As he toured the affected areas, where 40,000 families had to evacuate their homes, Ruto vowed not to let anyone sleep outside and committed to providing financial aid to each displaced family.
“I will announce the construction of 20,000 houses to assist Nairobi residents living in informal settlements like this one. This will enable every citizen to live in dignified neighborhoods with access to water, electricity, and a clean environment, so that citizens stop living in houses like these that are constantly washed away by floods,” Ruto declared before the residents of the Mathare slum.
The Kenyan president also postponed indefinitely the planned reopening of schools this week, as heavy rains and floods, which have claimed over 200 lives, continue.
“The government has set aside 1 billion Kenyan shillings to rebuild all schools affected by the floods before reopening them, so that all children in Nairobi and elsewhere in the country can return to proper structures where they can learn,” he announced.
The deluge affecting the country is linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon and is expected to continue for several more weeks, according to the Kenyan Meteorological Institute.