Opposition leader Raila Odinga has lambasted the government’s failure to prepare for devastating floods that have displaced hundreds of thousands and caused widespread destruction across the country.
In a statement on Monday, Odinga said the unprecedented flooding had laid bare Kenya’s lack of planning for climate change-driven disasters and underinvestment in infrastructure.
“The devastation has made clear that as a nation, we must confront the emergency of our failure to learn,” he said.
Despite accurate predictions of heavy rains by the meteorological department, Odinga accused the government of having no contingency plans in place. “We have therefore been reduced to planning, searching and rescuing at the same time,” he said.
The opposition leader extended condolences to flood victims and praised search and rescue efforts, while calling on the government to prioritize urgent needs of low-income communities impacted. He urged better communication and coordination among agencies responding to the crisis.
“Even as we reach out to offer whatever help we can..we appeal to the government to ensure that the most urgent needs of low-income people across the country get priority attention and that their voices are heard,” Odinga said.
The floods have affected large swaths of the country, washing away homes, roads and bridges. Tens of thousands have been displaced, compounding the humanitarian crisis in a country already hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees.
Odinga said his opposition group would help foster debate on the lack of preparedness exposed by the disaster. “We will help force the country to confront failure to learn as a national emergency and scourge,” he warned.
The Kenyan government has faced criticism over its response to the flooding, which comes just months after the country was hit by its worst drought in 40 years. Both extremes have been linked to climate change’s disruption of weather patterns.
