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Rachel Ruto Attributes Ugandan Prosperity to Prayer
First Lady Rachel Ruto attributed Uganda’s agricultural abundance to both natural resources and spiritual blessings during a thanksgiving service at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Monday, April 15th.
Mama Rachel contrasted Kenya’s recent struggles with drought to Uganda’s verdant landscape, which she witnessed firsthand during a 2022 visit. She credits this disparity to the East African Revival movement that swept through Uganda in the 1930s, which she believes fostered divine favor on the nation’s land and rainfall patterns.
“In Kenya we see our President talk about fertilizers for our farmers,” Mama Rachel remarked. “In Uganda, they don’t use fertilizers. Their land is very fertile and there is enough rain. I came to discover one thing; it is the East African Revival that swept Uganda and some parts of East Africa.”
The First Lady then shared a personal anecdote about praying for rain during Kenya’s dry spell in 2022. She encouraged those attending the service to embrace prayer and express gratitude to God.
Mama Rachel concluded by expressing a desire for Kenya to establish a national Thanksgiving Day, similar to the American holiday, as a dedicated time for prayer and appreciation.
Kenya Calls for Precautions As Rain Waters Rise
The Kenyan government, under the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, issued an urgent flood warning on Wednesday, anticipating significant flooding across various regions due to the ongoing long rains.
The warning came as water levels at the country’s major hydro-electric power dams, including the Masinga Dam, reached capacity, prompting controlled spillages and raising fears of downstream impacts.
Cabinet Secretary for Internal Security & National Administration, Kithure Kindiki, pointed to the gravity of the situation. “The Seven-Forks Dams are critical to our hydroelectric power generation and with Masinga Dam already spilling, we are closely monitoring the potential overflow into other dams and the resultant flooding risks,” he said.
According to Kindiki, if the rains continue, the overflow from the Masinga Dam could lead to increased water levels in the cascading Kamburu, Gitaru, Kindaruma, and Kiambere Dams. This could significantly affect settlements near the Kiambere Dam, which is the last in the cascade line.
The potential for disaster extends beyond the immediate vicinity of the dams. The Ministry highlighted that the Tana River, critical to Garissa, the Tana Delta, and Lamu Counties, might burst its banks, leading to widespread flooding in these areas. The western regions of Kenya, including Homa Bay, Siaya, and Busia, among others, also face flood threats if rainfall intensifies.
However, the flood risks are not confined to rural or undeveloped areas. “Urban centers with inadequate drainage systems are particularly vulnerable to the expected heavy rains and need to prepare for possible floods,” Kindiki’s statement cautioned.
In response to the escalating threat, the government has reactivated the Multi-Agency Disaster Management Team, first assembled during the 2023 El-Nino rains. “Our team is geared up to monitor, respond, and mitigate the impacts of the flooding,” explained the Cabinet Secretary. “Safety is our priority, and we are prepared to issue evacuation orders should they become necessary.”
The Kenya Red Cross Society and other humanitarian agencies are on standby, ready to assist in relief and response efforts as part of the government’s coordinated approach to the crisis.
Residents in the affected areas are advised to remain vigilant, follow official directives, and avoid waterlogged or flood-prone regions. “Planning and caution are essential right now. We urge the public to stay informed and prepare to act quickly if evacuation orders are issued,” added Secretary Kindiki.
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