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Africa Live: Boy trapped in Kenya floods saved in dramatic rescue - BBC News Africa Live: Nairobi 'overwhelmed' by raging floods - senator - BBC News
(about 2 hours later)
Top UN officials have raised the alarm over the UK parliament's approval of the controversial bill that paves the way for the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda. Flooding in Kenyan capital city Nairobi has "escalated to extreme levels" and local authorities are "clearly overwhelmed", a senator has warned.
The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, aimed to deter migrants from entering the UK illegally, was passed after months of wrangling ended in a parliamentary showdown on Monday night. Edwin Sifuna, who oversees Nairobi county, raised the alarm on social media platform X while posting footage showing an entire neighbourhood inundated by muddy floodwater.
Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, in a joint statement on Tuesday called on the UK government to reconsider its plan, which they warned would have a "harmful impact" on human rights and refugee protection. In the clip, residents can be seen trapped on the roof of their house.
Mr Grandi said the arrangement with Rwanda seeks to shift responsibility for refugee protection and that the legislation marks a "breach of the Refugee Convention". Hundreds of others in Nairobi and nearby areas were also marooned by floods following heavy rains overnight.
On his part, Mr Turk said it “seriously hinders the rule of law in the UK and sets a perilous precedent globally”. "We need all national emergency services mobilised to save lives," Mr Sifuna said.
Charities have also hit out at the scheme, with leading human rights groups describing it as a "breach of international law". The East African nation has been witnessing heavy rains for weeks.
But Rwanda said it was "pleased" by the approval of the bill and "look[s] forward to welcoming those relocated to Kigali," according to Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo. On Wednesday morning, Kenya Railways said the floods had affected rail lines, making it hard for trains to operate.
Rishi Sunak, the UK prime minister, described the bill as "landmark legislation", saying flights to Rwanda would take off within 10 to 12 weeks. The company said safety concerns had compelled it to suspend services.
Read more on the UK's Rwanda asylum bill: Major highways, including Mombasa Road and Thika Road, were submerged by floodwater, causing traffic jams during peak hours in the morning.
What is the UK's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda? The busy Namanga Road, heading to the Tanzanian border, was overwhelmed after the nearby Athi River burst its banks on Wednesday morning.
UK asylum deal: Is Rwanda a land of safety or fear? Red Cross Kenya says its response teams are operating in most of the flooded areas, evacuating families to safety and providing other life-saving interventions.
Residents of some estates in Nairobi have also been left homeless after their houses were submerged by the raging floods.
The downpours are forecast to continue.
About 35 people have died since last month in flooding and more than 100,000 affected, according to the UN, which cites Red Cross figures in the most recent update.
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