Gov’t Delays Reopening of Schools Affected by Floods 

Some of the schools that have been adversely affected by the heavy rains and flooding that displaced thousands across various parts of the country will have their opening delayed. 

This is as the National and County Multi- Agency teams ensure that repairs are done to create a safe environment for students to resume learning.

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said the government is continuously monitoring the flood situation in the country

and will ensure the safe and efficient movement of learners, parents, and teachers as the schools reopen for the second term tomorrow.

“The National Flood Emergency Response Command Center will keep updating on areas that can be vulnerable and interfere with children going to school,” he said.

The schools reopen on Monday May 13 amid fears of more flooding.

A total of 56,367 households have been displaced affecting approximately 281,835 people while 167 camps have been set up across 22 Counties hosting 70,451 people.

Approximately 380,573 people have been impacted by the heavy rains while 1,967 schools have been affected by the floods.

Some 62 health facilities have been affected in 11 Counties while approximately crops on 9,816 acres of land have been destroyed and 4,003 livestock dead.

At the same time, adequate security measures have been put in place in all bus termini and other strategic locations where the National Police Service has deployed adequately to ensure enhanced movement of vehicles and persons traveling, more so school children.

This is in addition to the deployment of traffic police officers along critical highways to monitor traffic violations such as speeding, overloading, and use of unroadworthy vehicles.

No vehicles will be allowed on bridges that have been considered unsafe for use and on roads that have been marked as risky.

The Security and Intelligence Committees also took the lead role in monitoring fragile ecosystems like rivers, dams, and other water bodies that pose a danger to communities and infrastructure around them, said Omollo.

He called on parents to ensure the safety of the children to and from school between 6 am and 6 pm, which should be done in close collaboration with the Multi-Agency teams and the leadership of the schools.

All chiefs and assistant chiefs shall keep watch of river and bridge crossings to sensitize on hazardous areas and curtail against activities such as children swimming in flooded zones.

Members of the public are urged to heed government advisories including the Meteorological Department’s Weather Forecasts, the Ministry of Education’s Safe Reopening Guidelines, the Ministry ofHealth’s advisory on water and food borne diseases and Public Notices on the conditions of railway, air and on water bodies.

The government is working to support affected communities and ensure that normalcy resumes in all areas affected by the floods and heavy rains. In case of emergencies, please report immediately via toll-free line: 0800721571.