NARC Kenya party leader Martha Karua on Wednesday, May 8 told President William Ruto's government what it should do to Kenyans affected by the ongoing floods.
Karua asked the Head of State to give free houses to all Kenyans displaced by floods as well as those whose houses have been demolished by the government for sitting on riparian land.
"These affordable houses which are built with punitive taxes which are forcefully taken from us, and built on public land should be allocated for free to those displaced by the floods," she said.
She explained that this was the only way to resettle Kenyans who were living on riparian land.
The politician argued that it was unfair to demolish houses on riparian land especially at such a time when most people have been displaced, lost property and others have lost their lives due to flooding.
She further called out President Ruto for offering Ksh10,000 to all families affected by the floods. Karua argued that it was not a substantial amount to help the families rebuild their lives.
"We have affordable houses across the country, let them resettled with our taxes as Kenyans. We are pleading to you (President Ruto) to use our taxes to settle those who have been displaced and stop violence upon Kenya," she added.
Karua was speaking in Nairobi after 26 people were arrested and detained at the Pangani Police Station after holding protests along Juja Road.
The individuals arrested were protesting against the demolition of houses by the state for being on riparian land.
They were also protesting the untimely death of a 17-year-old who was killed in Mathare North by a bulldozer while demolishing houses.
Notably, this protest was after a directive issued by President Ruto on April 30 asking all Kenyans living on riparian land to vacate or be forcibly evicted by the state.
"We have agreed that those who are living near rivers in what we call the riparian reserves should vacate starting tomorrow," he said on April 30.
The Head of State revealed that the government would provide temporary shelter for all those who shall be affected by such evictions.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki had also ordered all those in riparian areas to vacate to avoid casualties.
