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Kenya In Pain After West Pokot Landslide Kills 29; President Kenyatta Comforts Victims.

By Daniel Mwambonu – Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday November 23, 2019. 

Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta in a statement, Saturday November 23, 2019, says he has been following with great sadness situations in West Pokot County devastating landslide.

The entire East African nation of Kenya is grieving following a landslide that hit its villages of Nyarkulian and Parua in the country’s West Pokot County.

A Red  Cross official told National Telegraph they’re on the ground trying their best to contain the situation. Meanwhile, a statement from the country’s President confirmed a multi-agency rescue operation has also been dispatched. 

At least 29 people are reported to have died and officials confirmed 12 dead bodies, including seven children have been recovered. The incident that occurred early Saturday November 23, 2019 resulted from heavy rains.

A bridge is said to have been removed by the rains that have also caused affected villages to be cut off by flooded roads and an uncertain landscape.  

The country’s President, Uhuru Kenyatta following the landslide immediately issued a statement. Below is his full statement dated Saturday, November 23,  2019.

Fellow Kenyans,

I have since today morning been following with great sadness the ongoing rescue operation in West Pokot County following the devastating landslide that was triggered by the heavy rains that are being experienced in most parts of the country.

The landslide that occurred at 2.30am Saturday morning robbed our country of confirmed 29 dear Kenyans and led to massive destruction of property including key infrastructure such as roads and bridges.

My thoughts and prayers, and those of our entire nation are with families, friends and relatives of those who lost their beloved in the unfortunate incident. Please accept my heartfelt condolences.

To those who were injured in the calamitous incident and are receiving treatment in different hospitals, I pray for your quick recovery and restoration.

To those whose loved ones are yet to be found, I assure you that the ongoing multi-agency rescue operation will continue until after every missing person is accounted for.

In the meantime, I have directed the deployment of resources including rescue personnel from our various security and humanitarian agencies covering the Kenya Defence Forces, the National Police Service and Special Programmes to the affected region so as to provide mitigative action against further loss of lives. 

The operation will continue round the clock until the situation normalizes. I have further directed Regional Commissioners in flood and landslide prone regions of our country to work very closely with our security and humanitarian teams to ensure that citizens in these areas are urgently moved to safer grounds.

Uhuru Kenyatta, CGH

President of the Republic of Kenya

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