Nairobi, KENYA: A section of Coastal and North Eastern legislators now want the government to declare the floods that have wrecked havoc in almost all parts of the whole country a national disaster.
In a media briefing at parliamentary buildings led by Garsen Member of Parliament Ali Wario said that following the depth of the calamity there is a need for the government to declare it a national disaster claiming that the reality on the ground is dire and overwhelming.
Wario said that 80 percent of his constituency has been affected by the havoc whereby 17 schools have been destroyed affecting learning in the area.
“As we speak 80 percent of my constituency is affected by floods, 17 schools have been closed, no learning is going on, many residents have been rendered homeless,” Wario said.
“Am urging the government and well-wishers if it means the provision of tents, kindly help us so as to facilitate the learning process in our area. I want the government to declare this as a national disaster and move in with speed and salvage the situation .”He added.
The legislators pointed that the residents of affected areas are undergoing hunger crisis urging the government to fast-track distribution of food to avert a crisis.
They said that they fear that in the near future waterborne diseases might emerge and complicate the whole crisis thus urging the government and other organizations to be on standby and distribute medicine in order to avert a further crisis in the health sector.
‘If this situation goes on like this in two weeks then we will experience diseases like cholera.” Said Wario.
They slammed devolution cabinet secretary Eugene Wamalwa for failing to coordinate activities especially in the affected areas urging him to direct county commissioners to undertake the emergency functions, especially in the affected areas.
Mandera West Member of Parliament Hajji Yusuf warned that road network in North Eastern has been adversely affected leading to a crisis of fuel of vehicles in the area.
He urged the government to re-strategize its bid on disaster preparedness so as to avert a further crisis.
