Government tights strategies to mitigate negative impact of El Nino
The Government has tightened emergency response to the enhanced rainfall after the National Meteorological Services confirmed the heavy rains are as a result of the El Nino phenomenon, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said.
Mr Gachagua said this while asking for more humanitarian assistance from partners for an effective response. The Deputy President, who chairs the National Emergency Response Committee, said a multi-agency response team is mobilising needed resources to avert loss of lives and property during the El Nino period.
Speaking on Friday after chairing a meeting that brought together concerned Ministries, agencies and state departments, affected counties, local and international agencies at Harambee House Annex, the Deputy President assured Kenyans that the Government will deploy every available resource to ensure the safety of Kenyans.
“I assure the Nation that all necessary resources will be deployed to ensure the safety, security and comfort of our People and their property,” he said.
The Deputy President also said Kenya Defence Forces aircraft had been deployed for evacuation of people in marooned areas, delivery of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examinations and other emergency needs.
He said the Committee is ensuring coordinated actions for quicker and impactful response in most-affected regions.
“The Emergency Response Committee is coordinating a consolidated approach for efficiency and effective action. This is preventing duplication of the response as well as ensuring no place or person is left behind,” he added.
More than 19 counties, mostly in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands, have been affected but the Government has beefed up response including evacuation and increased distribution of food to the displaced. “We are working with governors, development partners and other agencies to distribute food and non-food items to tens of families,” the DP added.
He said the Ministry of Roads and Transport is undertaking emergency repair and rehabilitation of roads to improve access in the areas affected. Mr Gachagua also said the government will continue issuing alerts to Kenyans in affected areas to evacuate to safer grounds. He called on counties, humanitarian organisations and development partners to allocate more resources to complement the government's response efforts.
Present were Cabinet Secretaries Kithure Kindiki (Interior and National Administration), Kipchumba Murkomen (Roads and Transport), Aden Duale (Defence), Alice Wahome (Lands), Zachariah Njeru (Water), Peninah Malonza (EAC Affairs and ASALs), Governors Cecily Mbarire (Embu), Nathif Jama (Garissa), Godhana Dhadho (Tana River), Mohamed Adan (Mandera), Principal Secretaries and heads of various agencies and humanitarian organisations.