Families displaced by the landslides that hit West Pokot County last year have begun rebuilding new houses.
The Kenya Red Cross Society is implementing the reconstruction on behalf of the County Government of West Pokot and the National Government Ministry of Interior.
On Tuesday, February 2020, West Pokot Governor H.E John Lonyangapuo presided over the flagging off of 1728 iron sheets to the first group of 72 households.
A total of 225 households in West Pokot South and Central sub-counties will benefit from the reconstruction.
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Speaking during the event Governor Lonyangapuo thanked the partners for coming to the aid of the victims of the unfortunate landslides. “We need to help these people recover from the losses they incurred and rebuild their lives. We have women and young children who were most affected by the landslides” he said.
The heavy rains experienced in most parts of the country in 2019 with peaks rising in the months of October-December that led to flooding in many counties including Isiolo, Marsabit, Garissa, Kisumu, Siaya, Migori, Turkana, and Machakos, and landslides/ mudslides in West Pokot, Murang’a, Meru, and Taita Taveta counties.
The Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Interior invited the Kenya Red Cross Society to form part of the National Disaster Coordination Committee which was set up by the Cabinet Secretary Hon. Dr Fred Matiangi to coordinate response and early recovery.
The Society has received financial and other support to facilitate the reconstruction from local and international organizations including National Government, County Government of West Pokot, Kenya Pipeline, Tullow Oil, African Oil, LDS Charities, Mabati Rolling Mills, County Assemblies, Full Gospel Churches, Finish International Development Agency, and KCB Bank among others.
Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary-General Dr Asha Mohammed said the Society was working to ensure that all the 225 houses are completed in the next one month, “we will spend KShs 33 million to construct the houses for the 225 families. We know that the long rains will be here with us in less than two months and therefore it is a race against time to ensure that these families have shelter over their heads,” she said.
