Hold:Displaced families ordered to leave Garissa FTC camp amidst devastating flood aftermath
Abdirahman Osman, a father of eight, expressed his distress over the sudden eviction order.
Over 1,200 families, displaced by the recent El Niño floods, are facing yet another crisis as they are ordered to vacate the Garissa Farmers Training Center (FTC), which has served as their temporary shelter.
Forced to leave behind their makeshift homes, these families claim they are grappling with the daunting task of finding accommodation after their previous residences were destroyed by the floods occasioned by the El Nino floods.
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Abdirahman Osman, a father of eight, expressed his distress over the sudden eviction order.
"We were ordered to vacate and go back home to Mlimani along the river, yet we have no home there; it was completely destroyed," he laments.
With a mere week given to evacuate the camp, families like Abdirahman's are left in a state of uncertainty and desperation.
Ali Osman Ramadhan, among those complying with the government's directive, says he has no option but to leave the temporary shelter.
"I don't want to be in trouble with the police," he explains while hastily packing his belongings for relocation.
Others, however, remain undecided, torn between the fear of government reprisals and the absence of viable alternatives.
A visit to the previous homes of these displaced families in Bakuyu, Ziwani, and Mlimani of Tana River County paints a grim picture.
Faiza Ali, who returned to her home in Ziwani, describes the harrowing conditions.
"The floods brought dangerous snakes that never existed before," she reveals, expressing her fear for the safety of her children amidst the destroyed infrastructure.
In response to the crisis, community elders led by Osman Babu are appealing for urgent assistance from well-wishers and charitable organizations to provide shelter for displaced families, particularly the children.
Garissa County Commissioner Mohamed Mwabudzo defended the decision to evacuate the IDPs, citing their prolonged stay at the camp.
"It is not possible to keep people in a congested camp for a long duration even after the floods have receded," he said, emphasizing the need for personal responsibility in evading such calamities.
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