• The motion urges the county government to release Sh23 million in which each ward will receive Sh400,000. All wards have been affected by the heavy rains.
• The county has experienced numerous land and mudslides that have destroyed properties worth millions and killed six people.
Image: Alice Waithera
Murang'a MCAs have adopted a motion compelling the county government to disburse emergency funds to flood victims.
At least 89 families have been displaced by rains in Murang’a county.
The motion tabled by Kahumbu MCA Chefman Njoroge seeks to ensure the funds are released to the wards with immediate effect to reprieve the affected families. It was unanimously passed by the MCAs.
The motion urges the county government to release Sh23 million in which each ward will receive Sh400,000. All wards have been affected by the heavy rains.
The rest, Njoroge said, will be used by the county government to give relief aid to the families caught up in emergencies.
“Sh7 million has already been approved by the Controller of Budget and should be available to MCAs,” he said.
MCAs, however, expressed concerns the funds may not be sufficient to cover the damages caused by the rains by the time the season is over.
Muguru MCA Moses Muchiri said the House passed the County Emergency Funds regulations months ago. He challenged the county government to move with speed and support those affected by the rains.
“The regulations we passed allow the chief executive committee member for finance to withdraw the funds,” he said.
The county has experienced numerous land and mudslides that have destroyed properties worth millions and killed six people.
Last week on Monday, a landslide in Kiganjo village, Mathioya, affected four farms, displacing 30 families. They are camping at Ngutu Primary School.
The families have asked for support to help bury those who lost their lives in the landslides as their farms were totally destroyed.
Nine other families in the subcounty have also been displaced.
In Kangema, 30 homes have been destroyed by rains and earth movements, forcing the families to relocate.
Eleven other families from Murang’a East subcounty are being hosted by their relatives and friends after their homes were rendered inhabitable.
County Red Cross coordinator Immaculate Iteba said roads have been destroyed by the rains, but noted they are closely monitoring the situation to ensure more lives are not lost.
Senator Joe Nyutu said the county has a Sh200 million emergency kitty that should be used to support the affected families.
"These funds are provided for in the Constitution and constitute two per cent of each county's sharable revenue," he said.
But finance CEC Kiarie Mwaura said delayed disbursements of revenue allocations from the county government has made the county's operations difficult.