President William Ruto on Monday, May 6, promised Kenyans evacuated for their own safety due to the ongoing floods a Ksh10,000 stipend from the National Government.
Speaking during a tour in Mathare, Nairobi, Ruto revealed that the money would help the families secure a place to stay as the government works on finding a long-term solution.
Recipients of the cash will be households that were evacuated by government administration officers with the help of Kenya Defence Forces, Kenya Police and National Youth Service.
"We have 40,000 households who were evacuated because of their safety, every household will receive Ksh10,000 to look for alternative housing waiting for government intervention," he stated.
"We have a list of those who were evacuated, we will give them money for 3-month rent as the Government looks for another alternative."
Ruto assured Nairobi residents that policies had been put in place to ensure that the money was not misappropriated.
The Head of State remarked that he would personally ensure that no cartels got hold of the funds meant for flood victims.
President Ruto remarked that the flooding had been caused by climate change and that Kenya had put in measures to cushion itself against such calamity in future.
In the immediate, Ruto remarked that Kenya would embark on planting trees in Mathare and other riparian lands.
As such, he stated that Kenyans who had built shacks on the riparian lands would have to be given alternative housing by the National Government.
In that regard, President William Ruto stated that starting next week, a tender would be floated to build 5,000 affordable houses in the Mathare area.
Once completed, evacuated Kenyans would receive a priority in occupying the houses according to the President.
Ruto appreciated Mathare residents for heeding to government's call to move out of flooded areas noting that the voluntary decision had saved thousands of lives.
