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@observer Wed, 01 May 2024 10:28:07
Kenya: President Ruto orders evacuations after deadly floods
Kenyan President William Ruto on Tuesday deployed the military to evacuate everyone living in flood-prone areas in a nation where 171 people have been killed since March by torrential rains.
Seasonal rains, amplified by the El Nino weather pattern, have devastated the East African nation, with floodwaters engulfing villages and threatening to unleash even more damage in the weeks to come.
In the worst incident, which killed nearly 50 villagers, a makeshift dam burst in the Rift Valley before dawn Monday, sending a torrent of water and mud gushing down a hill and swallowing everything in its path. The tragedy in Kamuchiri village, Nakuru county, was the deadliest episode in the country since the start of the March-May rainy season.
Ruto, who visited the victims of the Kamuchiri deluge after chairing a Cabinet meeting in Nairobi, said his government had drawn up a map of neighbourhoods at risk of flooding.
"The military has been mobilized, the national youth service has been mobilized, all security agencies have been mobilized to assist citizens in such areas to evacuate to avoid any dangers of loss of lives," he said.
People living in the affected areas will have 48 hours to move, he said.
"The forecast is that rain is going to continue, and the likelihood of flooding and people losing lives is real. Therefore, we must take preemptive action," Ruto said.
"It is not a time for guesswork, we are better off safe than sorry."
The Kamuchiri disaster — which killed at least 48 people dead — cut off a road, uprooted trees and destroyed homes and vehicles. Some 26 people were hospitalized, Ruto said, with fears the death toll could rise as search and rescue operations continued.
The Cabinet warned that two dams — Masinga and Kiambere — both less than 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of the capital, had "reached historic highs," portending disaster for those downstream.
"While the government encourages voluntary evacuation, all those who remain within the areas affected by the directive will be relocated forcibly in the interest of their safety," a statement said.
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@theguardian Wed, 01 May 2024 10:00:53
Threats, accusations and assault: the dangers of running an LGBTQ+ health clinic in Uganda
Brian Aliganyira sees first-hand the devastating consequences of a draconian anti-gay law, as fear and misinformation prevent people getting help
Driving to work one morning last summer, Brian Aliganyira was forced off the road and into a ditch by motorcycle riders surrounding his car on both sides. He was left bruised, and still suffers from shoulder pain.
He later received a text message saying he had been targeted because of his work, running a health clinic for the LGBTQ+ community in Kampala, Uganda. The message said his assailants wanted to “protect children”.
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@allafrica Wed, 01 May 2024 09:57:48
Tondeka Metro At Risk of Losing City Bus Service
[Independent (Kampala)] Kampala, Uganda -- Tondeka Metro, which has operated the City Square-Ntinda bus circuit for three years, faces the loss of its business due to a dispute with Nairobi-based fleet financier RentCo Africa. The bus service was suddenly halted six weeks ago, stranding many commuters, according to 256Businessnews.com.
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@sqoop Wed, 01 May 2024 09:11:14
Actress Stella Nante unveiled as the new ‘Mwasuze Mutya’ host
‘Mwasuze Mutya’ a morning lifestyle and daily inspiration show that airs on NTV Uganda and Spark TV has a new host, actress Stella Nante. Stella was officially unveiled on Wednesday morning 45 minutes into the show that kicked off at 9 am temporarily hosted by musician Spice Diana who later became her very first guest. […]
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@sqoop Wed, 01 May 2024 09:19:27
Simo Maseruka to host the Uganda-Europe convention
Media personality Simon Maseruka is going to be the official host of the Uganda-Europe convention happening in Sweden from the 24th to the 25th of September this year The event’s host will be foreseeing the second edition of the convention at the Kulthuhus Skelleftea. It is said his professionalism and expertise in the field of […]
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@sqoop Wed, 01 May 2024 09:36:10
Ray G finally speaks out on differences with promoter Nobert
Several days after the events, promoter Nobert, who is also behind Ray G’s upcoming concert at Cricket Oval on May 10 came out and threatened to pull out due to breach of contract, Ray G has finally come out and assured his fans that the concert is happening. In a video clip, Ray G distanced himself from the […]
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