- Murkomen said the government will re-evaluate damage before embarking on rehabilitation.
- CS said his ministry will engage Parliament to set aside the necessary resources.
Image: FILE
The government needs between Sh26-Sh30 billion to restore critical infrastructure destroyed by floods, Roads and Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen says.
Speaking when he assessed the state of the Gamba section of the Lamu-Witu-Garsen road that was swept away by floods, the CS said the government will re-evaluate the damage before embarking on rehabilitation.
“We have been hit hard by the heavy rains as a country and my ministry has suffered the most destruction. A lot of roads and bridges have been destroyed,” the CS said.
He said the ministry has done an initial assessment of the damage and will do another one after the rains subside.
“We need a lot of money to rehabilitate our roads and bridges,” he stressed adding that “an assessment of the damage caused by floods is almost complete. We will talk to Parliament to set aside the necessary resources.”
Murkomen said the volume of the water and the depth of the flow is still high, making it impossible for vehicles to use the Lamu-Witu-Garsen road.
“The situation has been worsened by the spill over from the Seven Folks Dams upstream and experts expect this situation to remain so for some time,” he said.
He said travellers have been forced to use canoes to connect and complete their journeys from Mombasa to Lamu and vice versa.
“We appreciate the private sector for providing the boats and for adhering to safety standards even as we look for a solution,” he added.
Murkomen further noted that the disruption has also affected the movement of cargo from the Port of Lamu to neighbouring countries.
“We are exploring alternative routes to address this problem even as we prepare to begin restoration of critical infrastructure across the country,” he added.
Murkomen made the remarks as ministry of Interior and National Administration announced rainfall will persist in 17 counties in Central, Rift Valley, Western and Eastern regions.
In a flood advisory as of May 15, 2024, the ministry said rains will continue in Nyandarua, Nyeri, Muranga, Kiambu, Kericho, Nandi, Bomet, Nakuru, Narok, Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Vihiga, Trans Nzoia, Meru, Tharaka Nithi and Embu.
“Overflow of the Seven Forks Dams still poses to exacerbate flooding in the Tana Delta and impacting Garissa, Tana River, and Lamu counties,” the ministry said.
A total of 289 people have lost their lives due to severe weather conditions, a cumulative 188 people have been reported injured and 75 are currently missing.