@Alicewangechi
Over 600 residents of villages in Murang'a that were affected by a landslide that killed six people a month ago have received new documents Huduma Mashinani government initiative.
The exercise organised by Ahadi Kenya Trust in partnership with Ushirika Wema Initiative led by Tessie Mudavadi was aimed at taking government services closer to the residents, some of them still living in camps.
Over 70 families fled their homes in Mathioya subcounty following heavy rains that saw some farms develop cracks.
About 30 of the affected households were families living next to the site of the landslide and who are being accommodated at Ngutu social hall.
Ephantus Kimani, the chairperson of the survivors, said many lost vital personal documents as they sought safety from their farms.
Kimani said the Huduma Mashinani exercise reprieved them as they were currently dependent on aid and could not have afforded fare to travel to government offices.
“Some of us have lost our farms, relatives and livestock. This exercise will give us a second chance for our lives to get some semblance of normalcy because without these documents, we can’t even find work,” Kimani said.
He urged families still living in landslide-prone areas to follow government’s recommendations and move.
He said the families required sanitary items and that many were facing psychological issues after their lives were drastically upended.
Ahadi Kenya CEO Stanley Kamau said the two organisations would foot all expenses for the documents applied for by the survivors.
He said similar exercises should be organised in places where survivors of floods are being hosted across the country to help them acquire personal documents.
Kamau, who also donated food, in partnership with other well-wishers he will seek funds to start income generating activities for the landslide survivors.
“My plea to the county government and other players is to ensure foods donated for this camp are not diverted to other areas,” he said, adding that outsiders found with the branded foods will be prosecuted.
He also plead with Kenyans to accommodate those affected by the rains until they can go back to their homes.
This will reduce chances of survivors going back to their farms and homes before the danger is over.
Kamau urged those collecting funds on behalf of survivors to be accountable and direct the funds towards supporting them.
Mathioya assistant county commissioner Eddy Jonathan said in the camp 21 of the residents are women, four men and 16 children, 12 of whom are schoolgoing.
He confirmed that all 65 primary and 32 secondary schools in the subcounty are operational but that some have been affected by the rains.
“Some toilets and classrooms have been degraded by the rains and we ask our NG-CDF to come in and help restore them,” he said.
