‘We Are on Standby’: Ruku Says Kenya Is Ready for El Niño Rains

Kenya’s government says it has put contingency measures in place ahead of heavy rains forecast from October, with officials warning that rainfall could be intensified by a possible El Niño event.

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku said resources had already been pre-positioned in counties considered particularly vulnerable to flooding and landslides. These include Mandera, Wajir, Tana River and Marsabit, where authorities expect the risk of severe rainfall impacts to be highest.

Ruku also warned that parts of Murang’a and other highland areas could experience landslides once the rains begin. He said the government had made the necessary preparations to respond to emergencies and protect lives.

The response plan involves several government agencies, including the police, military and defence forces, as well as non-state organisations such as the Kenya Red Cross. Ruku said the agencies were coordinating their efforts to ensure that resources could be deployed quickly if conditions worsen.

“We are working with most agency teams so that we manage any eventuality which may occur because of El Niño,” he said.

Ruku acknowledged that weather forecasts can change and that predicted conditions do not always occur. However, he said the government would remain on standby and that emergency personnel were prepared to respond if severe weather struck.

He also expressed confidence that Kenya would be able to manage any emergency without seeking external assistance, while noting that the country already co-operates with Israel on emergency preparedness. El Niño has previously been associated with heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides in parts of East Africa.