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A Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA) new survey has shown that 38 per cent of Kenyans have been affected by recent floods in the country.

Another 31 per cent of Kenyans said they have somewhat been affected by the floods and rains while 32 per cent others said they have not been affected at all.

“In terms of the country as a whole, there is a nearly equal split between those indicating that people in their area have been affected “a great deal”, “somewhat”, and “not at all” by the recent rains and floods. But the regional variations are immense from over half in Nairobi, Northern and Lower Eastern, to fewer than a quarter in Western, Coast and Central,” the survey has shown.

More urban than rural areas have been affected by the floods a great deal at 42 per cent and 33 per cent respectively, 33 per cent of those in urban areas have been somewhat been affected compared to those in rural at 30 per cent while 24 per cent of urban respondents said they have not been affected at all compared to 37 per cent.

According to the survey, Nairobi has the highest number of those affected at 56 per cent, then a tie for Northern and Lower Eastern with 53 per cent, followed by South Rift and Nyanza at 43 per cent each.

Central Rift is among the regions least affected by the rains and floods, with 49 per cent of the respondents saying they have not been affected at all followed by Coast and Western at 44 per cent and 43 percent then Mt Kenya at 36 per cent.

Leading response

Asked for person or body that respondents considered most responsible for leading response to those affected by floods, 37 per cent said County Governments and Governors, 19 per cent others said National Government while 15 per cent said Red Cross.

They were then followed by Environment and Interior Cabinet Secretaries Soipan Tuya and Kithure Kindiki at five per cent and four per cent respectively followed by citizens and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkoment at three per cent each.

“Though not an overall majority, more respondents have looked to their county governments (as a whole or in the person of the governor) for assistance in response to the recent rains and floods than to any other authority, though the National government and the Red Cross also receive a significant proportion of mentions. However, nearly one-in-ten (8 per cent) are uncertain as to who is (or should be) most responsible for such relief,” the survey indicates.