- Ruto promised to refund the victims of Mai Mahiu who lost their livelihoods.
- The President was speaking when he visited the victims of the Mai Mahiu incident.
Image: SCREENGRAB
The military will join other rescuers in the search for missing persons in the Mai Mahiu tragedy, President William Ruto has announced.
President Ruto on Tuesday issued directives to rescue the victims of the Mai Mahiu landslide.
Ruto said that the National Youth Service has been on the ground to collaborate with the police in rescue efforts.
"They have done a big part but where it has reached it needs a joint effort," the President said.
"I have talked with the military to join the other rescuers today to help in the search for the missing persons," Ruto said.
The President said that so far over 170 people have lost their lives due to the ongoing heavy rains that have resulted in flooding.
Ruto further commended the Kenya Red Cross, World Health Organisation, Amref and other organisations for helping with the rescue mission.
Ruto said that after consultation with the Cabinet, they agreed on several interventions to help the flood victims.
"Loosing over 170 people is not a small thing and we must take action to make sure that Kenyans are safe," Ruto said.
He promised to refund the victims of Mai Mahiu who lost their livelihoods.
The President was speaking when he visited the victims of the Mai Mahiu incident.
According to officials, the Monday morning Mai Mahiu incident left a trail of destruction in the area.
Officials said a blocked railway drainage accumulated water before its wall burst.
Heavy rains had been experienced on Sunday in the area and upper sides of Kinale.
“In the current unusual rains, the 'Dark Tunnel' - the railway line drainage at Old Kijabe- blocked leading to disastrous accumulation of water that broke the wall causing floods earlier today (Monday).”
“This has caused loss of lives and adversely affected Old Kijabe and Mai Mahiu and its environs,” said Chege Macharia, the executive director of Kijabe Hospital.
The hospital is near the place where the drainage had blocked and accumulated water.
Water Resources Management Authority (Warma) also said the water came from a water-filled gulley in Kiambu County that flowed down to Naivasha Sub-County and not from a dam.
The waters originated from a gulley near a railway line that was blocked, thus forming a temporary water catchment over time.
With the onset of the heavy rains, the gulley burst, leading to water collected flowing to lower-lying areas and leaving behind a trail of death and destruction.