The landslide that killed one in Ngutu village, Mathioya constituency, Murang'a county on May 6, 2026/ ALICE WAITHERA 

NDOC Director Colonel (Rtd) David Samoei said the government is on high alert following increased cases of disasters linked to heavy rainfall, warning that more rains are expected beyond the usual season.

“Nationally, the rains started on March 6 and after about three weeks we had lost 122 people. Right now we have lost 18 more people, bringing the total to 140 nationally,” Samoei said during a visit to Ngutu village in Murang’a County where a deadly landslide struck on Thursday night.

The disaster in the village claimed the life of 45-year-old Godfrey Gichuki after a landslide split his house into two following hours of heavy rains.

“We are telling people to move from areas they see are dangerous and look for safer places because the rains will continue,” Samoei said.

Samoei noted that the disaster situation is not unique to Murang’a, saying authorities are also responding to floods and displacement in Narok, Tana River, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisumu and Budalang’i.

He attributed some of the flooding in downstream counties to overflowing rivers and backflow from Lake Victoria.

The NDOC director urged Kenyans to report emergencies through the toll-free disaster response line 0800 721 571, saying the government is coordinating response efforts with multiple ministries and security agencies.

“We are on alert every hour to monitor what is happening across the country and brief the government accordingly,” Samoei said.

His sentiments were echoed by Murang’a County Commissioner Hassan Bule who warned that the area remained highly vulnerable after huge cracks emerged across farms and homesteads, raising fears of more earth movement.

“We do not want to risk lives because we do not know what may happen if the rains continue. There are about 100 households that could be at risk,” Bule said.

The commissioner said the county has already witnessed several disasters in recent days, including landslides in Kandara, Kangema and Kahuro sub-counties that displaced dozens of families.

He recalled that six members of a family died in a similar tragedy in neighboring Kiganjo village in 2004 after their home was swept away at night.

Rain is a blessing from God but it has also brought destruction. We are urging residents living in vulnerable areas to relocate before more lives are lost,” he added.

The county commissioner said authorities are discouraging the establishment of internally displaced persons camps, instead urging families and communities to temporarily host those displaced.

“We are appealing to wananchi to embrace the spirit of community and host each other as government and humanitarian partners provide support,” Bule said.

According to residents, the latest tragedy occurred at around 11 pm after heavy rains pounded the area for several hours.

Benson Mwangi, a resident, said Gichuki had built his house a few metres away from his parents’ home, which survived after occupants escaped moments before the landslide intensified.

“The deceased was asleep when the landslide cut through his house. His parents managed to run out and save themselves,” Mwangi said.

Families affected by the incident spent the night at Ngutu Primary School as fears mounted over fresh cracks that have crisscrossed the village.

Ngutu residents in the area that was affected by a landslide on the night of May 6, 2026, in Mathioya, Murang'a county/ ALICE WAITHERA

Residents now fear the entire ridge could collapse if the rains persist.

Mwangi said the village has become uninhabitable and appealed to the government to help families relocate to safer areas.

“If these families can get somewhere else to build houses and only come here during the daytime to farm, their lives would be much safer,” he said.

Another resident and youth leader, Mwangi Kifeeti, called on the government to consider allocating affordable housing units to affected families to prevent them from becoming homeless.

“The cracks that have formed here join those that appeared in Kiganjo during the previous landslide. This shows the entire ridge may be swept away in future,” Kifeeti warned.

The Kenya Red Cross said it had joined hands with county and national government agencies to support affected residents and prevent further loss of life.

Murang’a and Nyeri Red Cross coordinator Malcolm Kanyoko said emergency teams were monitoring the situation closely while mobilizing humanitarian support for displaced families.

“We are here to save lives, support affected communities and urge residents to take extra caution because the rains are ongoing and we do not know what else may happen,” Kanyoko said.

Ends