Kenya’s President William Ruto has declared Friday a public holiday to honour the 238 people who died due to ongoing flooding.
The president on Wednesday said the day will be observed by national tree planting activities to help mitigate the effects of climate change.
Kenya, along with other parts of East Africa, has been overwhelmed by floods.
More than 235,000 people are displaced and living in dozens of camps.
President Ruto also announced the reopening of schools countrywide, after two weeks delay due to heavy rains that have destroyed hundreds of schools.
The government had said more than 1,000 schools were affected by the heavy rains and flooding and set aside funds for renovations.
The metrology department’s daily weather forecast has continued to expect moderate to heavy rainfall in the majority of the country.
The government is forcing people living in flood-prone areas and near rivers and dams to evacuate as water levels in the country’s major hydroelectric dams reach “historic levels.”
This week, the government razed houses in the informal communities of Mathare and Mukuru in Nairobi, and the president promised evicted households $75 to relocate when a deadline to vacate due to fatal rains expired.
