Schools Reopening: CS Murkomen Issues Directives to Parents and Motorists
Kipchumba Murkomen, the Transport Cabinet Secretary, urged parents to ensure that the vehicles used to transport their children to school are safe.
In a statement on Sunday, the Cabinet Secretary stated that parents must ensure their children travel on safe roads even as heavy rains continue to fall across the country.
He also pledged to stop all drivers who violated traffic laws.
“We will hold drivers accountable for their actions that endanger the lives of other road users by ignoring traffic regulations or crossing dangerous waters,” he said.
He noted that parents play a key role in ensuring their children’s safety. He advised them to select safe routes and collaborate with school administrators to establish secure pick-up and drop-off locations. Additionally, it was suggested that they release children on their trips back to school early.
Join Teachers Updates on Facebook
The CS also announced the deployment of police and National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) officers to enhance traffic enforcement.
He added that the new term coincided with heavy rains, creating dangerous road conditions due to flooding and damaged infrastructure.
Murkomen advised road users not to underestimate the dangers of rain and flooding, as even shallow pools could hide deep potholes or deep currents.
He further recommended that to minimize risks, drivers should maintain a safe distance, slow down, and exercise patience in areas with heavy rain or flooding.
In an earlier statement, NTSA Director General George Njao requested that parents communicate with drivers about road safety.
He claimed that the discussion had the potential to significantly impact how drivers interact with their children.
Njao stated that the drivers should listen, emphasizing the importance of the many innocent children they would be taking back to school. He reminded them that the drivers had a responsibility to ensure the children’s safety until they arrived at school.
Reports indicate that up to 70 people have died and 40,000 have become homeless as floods continue to hit numerous regions.
The destruction of some schools has made learning challenging, and the Ministry of Education has pledged to alter the reopening dates for the most severely affected institutions.
Ksh.1 billion to assist affected households
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said that the government has set aside Ksh.1 billion to assist affected households in the Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) regions as floods continue to wreak havoc across the country.
DP Gachagua also announced that, once schools resume, the families who sought safety at the school will relocate.
He stated that the government intends to establish three camps in Nairobi: one on the Masinde Muliro grounds, another at the Mavoko Assistant Chief’s camp, and a third in the Kasarani neighborhood.
As of Saturday evening, the confirmed death toll from flooding had increased to 83, with 13 more bodies retrieved.
According to Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, the floods have displaced 24,196 families, for a total of 131,450 people.
In Our Other News: MP Calls for School Reopening Extension Date Amid Heavy Rains
The Kenya Red Cross has established around 59 IDP camps, rescued 350 individuals, distributed non-food goods to over 22,000 people, and provided food assistance to over 360 households.
The Kenya Meteorological Department has forecast that rainfall will continue in numerous regions of the nation, with over 40 counties projected to get significant rainfall in the coming days.
Schools Reopening: CS Murkomen Issues Directives to Parents and Motorists
