Human Rights Watch accuses Kenyan government of inadequate response to flooding

By EVELYNE MUSAMBI
Associated Press

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Human Rights Watch has accused Kenyan authorities of not responding adequately to ongoing floods that have killed more than 170 people since the start of the rainy season. The rights group on Thursday said the government “has a human rights obligation to prevent foreseeable harm from climate change and extreme weather events and to protect people when a disaster strikes.” The meteorology department sent an early warning before the rainy season, but President William Ruto only formed a response committee on April 24. By then, nearly 100 people had died due to the flooding. Kenya, along with other parts of East Africa, have been overwhelmed by floods, with more than 150,000 people displaced and living in dozens of camps.