Mai Mahiu flood victims cry foul after failed State resettlement plan

The aftermath of the Mai Mahiu dam tragedy. The government had, in Finance Bill 2024, allocated Sh350m towards their resettlement. [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

The resettlement of 121 families displaced by floods in Mau Mahiu, Nakuru, appears to have hit a snag.

It also emerged that some of the families who were living in rented houses paid for by the County Government of Nakuru now face eviction after defaulting on rent payment.

The national government had announced that it would spend Sh350 million to resettle them.

The tragedy that occurred three months ago left 60 people dead, scores of others injured, and property worth millions of shillings destroyed.

According to Mai Mahiu Member of County Assembly Eliud Kamau, the three-month period had lapsed, leaving the victims in limbo even as the State went mute on the planned resettlement.

"The national government has never released a single coin towards resettlement and now majority of victims are facing eviction from rental houses," he said.

The MCA added that the victims, who had lost all their personal effects in the flooding tragedy, were yet to recover and some were nursing injuries.