Ruto: Tana River families displaced by floods to get new homes

President William Ruto has promised to build new homes for those displaced by this year's floods in Tana River County.

Ruto said that the government has set aside Sh300 million to facilitate the construction of the new homes.

"Those whose homes were destroyed by floods will get new homes. The government has set aside Sh300 million for this project," Ruto said.

Ruto was speaking in Ngao, Tana River County, on Monday where commissioned different projects.

The President also said that the government is committed to improving agriculture in Tana River by improving the rate of production of maize, rice and vegetables.

"We want Tana River to rise in the agriculture sector through growing maize, rice and vegetables in bulk," said President Ruto.

Thousands of residents in Mororo, Bakuyu and Ziwani in Tana River county were displaced after River Tana burst its banks in April.

Some residents were forced to seek refuge in schools in neighbouring Garissa town.

According to Pius Mutuku, medical epidemiologist in the Ministry of Health, 44 cholera cases were reported in May 2024 in the county.

According to the United Nations Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 69,000 people had been affected by the floods in Tana River County as of May, 10,2024.

As of 18 April, the United Nations reported at least 32 deaths, 15 people injured and two missing across the country.

At least 103,485 people were affected across 21 counties and 40,265 people were displaced.

Farmers in Tana River lost hundreds of acres of farm produce last year as floods came at a time when they were about to harvest the crops.

Pastoralists too were not left out, however, as their villages were marooned and therefore forced to move out in large numbers with anything they could carry, saying they were moving out and never to return.

Garsen MP Ali Wario, who witnessed the movement pledged to help them rebuild their homes and live in their new locations permanently.

The pastoralists said they were camping between Minjila town and Garsen Junction after they were relocated by last year's floods.

According to a report given by the Ministry of Interior in April 2024, the death toll in the country was 210.

The Ministry issued a warning of the risk of flooding from the Tana River, which could potentially lead to flooding in Garissa, Lamu, and Tana River counties

According to the ministry, the floods left a cumulative of 125 people injured and 90 people missing.

This led to displaced households totaling 33,100 households affecting approximately 165,500 people. 

The ministry announced that 115 camps had been set up across 19 counties housing 27,586 people.

The total number of people who were affected by the heavy rains was approximately 196,296.