Victims of the Maai Mahiu flood tragedy are appealing for more support in kind as well as psychological counselling to help them rebuild their lives.
The April 29, 2024 mudslide claimed the lives of at least 62 residents, displaced hundreds and destroyed homes, roads, bridges and other social amenities.
The victims said they are distressed by the tedious journey of re-establishing and rebuilding their lives after the catastrophe.
Led by Paul Kiragu and Anne Wanjiru, the visibly shaken victims said most of them have been reduced to paupers after losing all of their properties to the floods.
Some of those affected are camping in rescue centres established by the government while others opted to rent homes within Naivasha constituency.
“We lost our loved ones and properties including our homes. The reality of the tragedy has dawned on us and majority of us are in mental anguish. We really need help,” Kiragu said.
Others, they said, are yet to come to terms with the tragedy and start healing the wounds of losing their loved ones.
They spoke while receiving donations from traders from Mt Kenya region under One United Gas Dealers group at Ngeya secondary school on Wednesday.
Some 100 affected persons received a complete gas cylinder each, food rations and cash from the group.
Kiragu hailed the government for the interventions it has made to aid them with essential services, as well as kind-hearted Kenyans for supporting them with items such as blankets, mattresses, food rations, and medicine among others.
He however noted that they are still in need of urgent aid to ensure that their children, who survived the horrific tragedy, return to school.
Most of them are struggling to raise school fees which has seen their children fail to resume their education.
Wanjiru said their children are severely traumatised and cannot concentrate in school, adding that they are in dire need of psychological support.
“I took my kid to school and he couldn’t remember where he used to sit. Other kids are psychologically traumatised by the disaster because they lost their parents, siblings and friends. They need support including counselling to help them resume their studies well,” she said.
Parents and especially the elderly require trauma services since most of them are yet to come to terms with the incident.
Thika-based businessman Joseph Ndung’u who led the drive said they donated over Sh500,000 for the education of the survivors' children after realising most were unable to raise the required cash.
He rallied other Kenyans of goodwill including corporates to assist the victims.
The residents require jobs to start earning a decent living, Ndung'u said, and firms and corporate entities looking for workers should give the victims first priority.
“Kenyans have proved their unity by standing with their countrymen who are in need. We however appeal for more aid for them including jobs for to enable them rebuild and sustain their lives,” he said.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Stella Maris, a Kirinyaga-based businesswoman who called on the government to ensure that the victims are restored and adequately supported to enable them rise again.
Naivasha Deputy County Commissioner Mutua Kisilu said the government has started resettling the victims to rental houses within the area.
Learning at Ngeya secondary and primary schools, which were housing the flood victims, has resumed, Kisilu added.
He lauded efforts from Kenyans who have since donated essential commodities and cash to cater for students' uniforms, books, and boxes.
