Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki says those crossing flooded rivers will be arrested and charged with attempted suicide. Kindiki said that Kenyans who attempt suicide by pushing their way over submerged bridges would face prosecution with multiple charges.
On Monday, Kindiki ordered the posting of more enforcement teams to all areas susceptible to flooding, addressing the Country Security and Intelligence Committees.
According to the CS, the assigned police are required to stop drivers and pedestrians from crossing the road in these flooded areas in a risky manner.
He continued by saying that if they disobeyed the order, the enforcement officer would have to take them into custody and accuse them of trying to commit suicide or murder.
“Deploy execution squads at urban and rural road locations that are susceptible to water from storms flooding alongside bridges or where the water level has compromised the bridge in order to safeguard motorists or pedestrians from potentially hazardous crossovers, and to apprehend and file charges against perpetrators for suicide attempts and/or attempted murder, whatever the circumstances of the case may be,” Kindiki stated.
On Monday, Kindiki also issued an order for the detention of anybody who would use a dangerous boat or canoe to carry people across flooded rivers or streams.
He said that these individuals are exploiting the circumstances to profit from those in need. “Arrest untrained and opportunistic individuals who make use of the surrounding circumstances to cash in on victims in distress.”
Kindiki said that the administration is very concerned about the number of fatalities and damage to both public and private property caused by the continuous flooding.
He assured everyone that the state is coordinating all relevant authorities to prevent more deaths and property damage and to assist those impacted by the continuous, intense rains.
As a result of the widespread floods, Kenya has lost 103 lives so far.
According to government spokesman Isaac Mwaura, the figure might have been higher because it excluded the Mai Mahiu disaster, which has officially reported at least 42 deaths.
The government established a multi-agency disaster response squad last week to coordinate efforts to rescue and assist all Kenyans affected by the devastating floods.
