Heavy rains disrupt schools' re-opening for second term

Heavy flooding disrupted the beginning of the second term in many schools across the country.

In Kisumu County, at least half of the 99 primary schools in Nyando constituency may not re-open as scheduled.

Area MP Jared Okello Monday said 48 primary and 21 secondary schools have been either been submerged or cut off from the rest of the constituency.

“It’s unfortunate that many children will not report to school on time,” said the MP, as Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju said the Government was closely monitoring the impact of the floods on schooling and would intervene to ensure the safety of children.

Mr Tuju said senior Government officials were in talks with key stakeholders about the safety of pupils.

Speaking while assessing the impact of floods in Nyando Monday, Tuju expressed fears that scores of children would not be able to access their schools as roads have been cut off and bridges destroyed by floods.

“We will have an opportunity to discuss the situation and see the way forward for pupils, students and teachers in schools affected by floods,” he said.

In Homa Bay County, hundreds of families from Kobuya village in Wang’ Chieng’ ward are camping at Osodo Primary School after their houses were swept away by floods.

The flooding and presence of displaced villagers could interfere with the returning to school of the 663 pupils. Head teacher Walter Owino said the institution was scheduled to resume learning Monday.

Local divers

At the Coast, the decomposing body of a boy who drowned in the flooded River Tana on Saturday was found by local divers.

The body of a second victim who drowned when a boat rescuing villages from a flooded village capsized is still missing.

The two were brothers and one of them slipped from his mother’s back when the boat capsized. Their mother was rescued but has been unconscious for days.

Police and Kenya Red Cross Society officials have been camping on the banks of the river in Idsowe village in Garsen sub-county for the last three days searching for the body.

Tana Delta OCPD Mohamed Riziki praised the villagers’ resilience during the search, while Kenya Red Cross Tana River branch manager Jared Bombe said he was optimistic that the second body would be recovered.

Close to 3,500 families have been displaced by heavy flooding in Dide Waride village and Lamu West areas of Lamu County.

Local officials say affected residents are living in displacement camps waiting for relief supplies after their homes were washed away.

Elsewhere, heavy rains have disrupted transport in Kerio Valley, cutting off roads to schools. The most affected areas include the Liter-Tot-Arror-Biretwo road, which is the major link to the valley.

Parents have appealed to the Government to consider postponing school re-opening dates to allow the floods to subside.

“At the moment we are marooned. There was a landslide that cut off the road that links Kerio Valley, making it impossible for our children to go to school,” said Gladys Cheboi, a resident of Kaben in Marakwet East.

People stranded

She said heavy rains had rendered most roads impassable and many people were stranded in their homes.

Toroko Primary School head teacher William Yego said although the institution had re-opened, some members of staff and pupils were yet to report.

“The area has experienced a series of landslides that have cut off many roads,” he said.

County Commissioner Abdulahi Hiddi said a disaster management team had been placed on high alert to ensure swift response to emergencies as the rains continue.

Leaders joined calls for the postponing of school re-opening dates, saying most roads had been cut off and that some schools had been turned into camps for affected families.

“The Ministry of Education should consider extending the opening dates by two weeks and compensate the time lost by pushing forward the closing dates in August,” said Nandi Senator Kiprotich Cherargei.

He said up to 243 families in the county had their homes and farms destroyed by mudslides.

The most affected areas include Cherondo, Uson, Sereno, Tereno, Kapchanga in Nandi Hills and Tinderet sub-counties as well as Koiyo, Ndurio, Bonjoge and Koitabut in Aldai sub-county.

In Kirinyaga County, more than 300 families were Monday left in the cold after their homes were destroyed by rain in Mwea.

Several schools had their roofs ripped off by raging storms.

According to MP Kabinga Wachira, the floods destroyed homes in Ciagini, Wamumu, Kiandegwa and Ndaba villages.

“Residents have been moved to nearby halls but they require food and basic facilities,” he said. [Mactilda Mbenywe, James Omoro,Hassan Barisa, Jane Mugambi, Fred Kibor, Titus Too and Munene Kamau]

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