The government has announced plans to relocate Elmolo Primary School in Loiyangalani town, Marsabit County, after it was submerged by rising waters from Lake Turkana, disrupting learning for hundreds of pupils.
Speaking during an emergency relief outreach programme in Laisamis Constituency, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku assured residents that the government is working closely with the Ministry of Education and development partners to safeguard the education of affected learners.
“We also paid a visit to Elmolo Primary School that has been submerged in water following an overflow from Lake Turkana which has rendered the institution inhabitable,” CS Ruku said.
“We’re working with the Ministry of Education and development stakeholders to relocate the school to safe grounds and ensure that students enrolled in the school continue with their studies without interruptions.”
The CS underscored the importance of public participation in shaping government interventions, noting that locals’ voices are essential in tailoring sustainable solutions for communities affected by climate-related disasters.
“Kenyans are fully aware of their rights to access timely and efficient government services,” he said.
“More importantly, they’re also equally informed of their right to be involved in development programs through exhaustive public participation as enshrined in the Constitution.”
During the visit, government officials delivered emergency relief supplies to vulnerable families affected by flooding and engaged residents in what Ruku described as a “highly informative public conversation.”
“In an outreach programme to deliver emergency relief support services to vulnerable families in Loiyangalani town, Laisamis Constituency, Marsabit County, today we engaged the residents in a highly informative public conversation to assist the Government in tailoring development programs to the needs and aspirations of the locals,” he noted.
The submersion of Elmolo Primary School has highlighted the urgent need for long-term strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change in northern Kenya, where erratic weather patterns and rising water levels continue to threaten livelihoods and infrastructure.