The government plans to move flood victims in Homa Bay County out of schools ahead of the reopening of schools on Monday.
Interior Minister Raymond Omolo said camps hosting flood victims in the county would be moved outside schools to pave the way for learners.
Schools are scheduled to reopen for the second term from Monday after the original start date was brought forward twice, to April 29 and May 6, due to flooding across the country.
“At least one or two camps in Homa Bay County need to be moved outside of schools so that school programs can continue without interruption,” he said.
He urged Kenyans who have not yet moved from areas at risk of flooding to do so immediately as a measure to prevent unnecessary loss of life.
Mr Omollo was speaking on Friday at Gembe Hills in Homa Bay during National Tree Growth Day, where Cabinet Minister of Roads and Transport Kipchumba Murkomen was the guest of honor.
“In addition to planting trees, let's also follow government instructions so we don't continue to lose lives needlessly,” he said.
“There are still people in camps in Homa Bay County, and we are continuing to provide them with food and non-food items to help them regain their livelihoods in the way they expect.”
Homa Bay is one of the counties hit hard by the floods.
The PS was accompanied by, among others, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga.
He said the Homa Bay government had donated 50,000 saplings to the exercise at Genbu Hills.
“I would like to thank the governor and his team, the team at the Ministry of Roads and Public Works and all the agencies that have done in adopting this forest,” Omolo said.
He further said that national government officials are prepared to work closely with national forestry officials, county governments, and local leaders to ensure that the area is reforested within the next few years.
“Waziri, when you come back in three or four more years, we will discuss how to clear the forest and, in particular, what we need to do to sustain life in this place,” he told Murkomen.
