The Government will meet medical and burial expenses for Kenyans injured or killed in the recent floods that have claimed dozens of lives across the country.

Appearing before the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations this Tuesday, the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes, Geoffrey Ruku, told Senators that the Government would settle hospital bills for all those injured, cover burial expenses for the deceased and assist families whose homes were swept away by the floods by supporting the reconstruction of houses.

CS Ruku informed the Committee that the Government was doing everything possible to support those affected, revealing that 45 people had so far been confirmed dead following the floods witnessed across the country.

Of the reported deaths, Nairobi recorded 27, Eastern Region Kenya 11, Rift Valley Region 5, Nyanza Region 1 and Coast Region 1. Four people were injured, one at the Coast and three in Nairobi. In addition, the Cabinet Secretary said four people remain missing, two in the Rift Valley and two in Nairobi.

According to the CS, a total of 9,033 households have been displaced, affecting about 42,819 people. He assured the Committee that his Ministry was making every effort to assist those affected.

“The State Department for Special Programmes has embarked on the provision of relief food assistance and appropriate non food items to displaced persons through the National Disaster Operations Centre and stakeholders will continue to monitor the evolving situation, coordinate national response efforts and provide regular situation updates to the State Department for Special Programmes,” said CS Ruku.

On drought response, the CS told the Committee that the State Department for Special Programmes had adopted a multi sectoral and multidisciplinary approach to mitigation and response to ensure the needs of humans, livestock and wildlife are addressed. He revealed that the Government had committed Ksh10.1 billion for priority response actions over the past three months.

The funds have supported relief food for 2.6 million people, emergency water trucking, borehole support, cash transfers, livestock vaccination, provision of livestock fodder and school feeding programmes.

His sentiments were echoed by the Cabinet Secretary for East African Community Affairs, the Arid and Semi Arid Lands and Regional Development, Beatrice Askul who called for a collective effort to address the challenges posed by both drought and floods.

Members of the Committee called for continuous preparedness among all relevant agencies to avoid delayed responses during emergencies.

They urged the Ministries to involve all agencies in disaster planning and preparedness, while criticising county governments for what they termed inadequate action in disaster management.

Despite the Council of Governors, through Nathif Jama Adam, the Governor of Garissa County earlier submitting a report to the Committee on measures being undertaken by counties in disaster management, the Committee maintained that little had been done on the ground.

“Counties are doing zero as far as drought and emergency are concerned. There is nothing tangible that the CoG has said counties are doing as far as the situation is concerned,” said Committee Chairperson Sen. Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo).

Senators present during the meeting included Vice Chairperson Prof Tom Ojienda (Kisumu), Okongo Mogeni (Nyamira), Julius Murgor (West Pokot), Dr Lelegwe Ltumbesi (Samburu), Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), Joseph Githuku (Lamu) and Chemitei Kiprono (Baringo).