• The 2024 floods crisis believed to be as a result of climate events such as El-nino, crippled infrastructure, education and agriculture.
  • The infrastructural damage to roads alone is expected to setback the government over KSH 80 billion
  • CS Murkomen was in Kijabe, Lari constituency, Kiambu county on Friday, May 31, to assess the railway line damage that occurred as a result of water collecting along the lines.
  • He promised that the construction of the Mau Mau road that would connect Kimende and Maai-mahiu would resume as of July 2024.

The after-effects of Kenya’s worst recent disaster were devastating, lost lives, thousands displaced, crippled infrastructure, education and agriculture and a million questions of what could have been done different.

The 2024 floods crisis, believed to be as a result of climate events such as El-nino, left gaping holes, both visible and invisible, with the government promising to build back better when the waves subsided. The infrastructural damage from roads alone was expected to setback the government over KSH 80 billion, according to a statement by Isaac Mwaura, the government’s spokesman.

Pleas from victims of tragic events occasioned by the flooding, such as the maai-mahiu disaster, were “build us roads as more could have been done in terms of rescue, if the roads were in good condition.”

The government, through the Ministry of Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, has assessed the damage to transportation infrastructure in different areas across the country, over the last few weeks of May.

CS Murkomen was in Kijabe, Lari constituency, Kiambu county on Friday, May 31, to assess the railway line damage that occurred as a result of water collecting along the lines.

“We have assessed the damage and noticed that grave danger awaits if nothing is done. We are experiencing huge losses as a result of the damaged railway line.” He said while addressing residents of Kijabe.

The railway line that passes through Kijabe connects to the Standard gauge railway at Longonot, enabling seamless transportation and exchange of cargo and passengers travelling to the western part of the country.

He promised that the construction of the Mau Mau road that would connect Kimende and Maai-mahiu would resume by July 2024.

“We are waiting for the rains to calm down so we can do the repairs, but I will see to it that the railway tunnels reconstruction is expedited”.

He also promised to allocate money to upgrade several rural roads in Lari and to give locals jobs that would arise from the rebuilding process.