The Kenyan government has begun bulldozing homes in Nairobi flood-risk zones, offering displaced families 10,000 Kenyan shillings ($75) to find new places to settle.
This government action follows a week-long notice to evacuate due to severe rains that have claimed the lives of 238 people and displaced 235,000 into temporary camps.
As bulldozers destroyed homes, security forces were there to ensure order, sometimes using tear gas to disperse crowds of displaced residents.
During a visit to the devastated Mathare area along the Nairobi River, President William Ruto confirmed the financial aid for those affected by the demolitions. However, this assistance has been criticised as insufficient, given the magnitude of the disaster.
Moreover, the demolitions have resulted in fatalities, which include two children and an adult who were reportedly run over by the bulldozers in Mathare.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga has criticised the government for proceeding without a proper resettlement strategy.
The situation in Kenya remains dire. Kenya’s cabinet reports that the water levels in the country’s major hydroelectric dams, Masinga and Kiambere, have reached historic highs. As a result, those living downstream along the Tana River have been asked to relocate.
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