President William Ruto has said the government will intensify its response to mitigate effects of the ongoing heavy rains.
The President said at least 70 people have so far lost their lives while 36,000 households have been displaced following the intense downpour.
The President revealed that the dire situation has necessitated an emergency Cabinet meeting on Monday.
He noted that the rains will continue, hence the need to prepare for unfolding emergencies.
“This will provide solid intervention mechanisms to help tackle the issue. Adequate interventions have been put in place to tackle the emerging crisis,” he said.
Ruto spoke on Saturday at State House, Nairobi during a meeting with agencies that deal with various aspects of disaster response.
He said the country is better prepared going into the future, especially with the onboarding of the county governments.
The President announced that a National Disaster Operation Centre has been operationalised to coordinate emergency responses.
He said the government has made available resources to ensure vulnerable cases access adequate food.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) will provide last-mile deliveries by air, especially in counties marooned by floods.
The President added that the National Youth Service and the Provincial Administration will be mobilised to ensure Kenyans are safe.
Meanwhile, Ruto asked Kenyans to take advantage of the rains and engage in farming.
He said subsidised fertilisers have been made available to help farmers produce enough food for the next season.
Present during the meeting were Cabinet Secretaries, Council of Governors chairperson Anne Waiguru, Chief of Defence Forces Francis Ogolla and Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome among others.
