Environment PS calls for early action as country heads into season of heavy rainfall

The government is urging swift action as Kenya anticipates an unusually heavy rainfall season from October to December. Dr. Eng. Festus Ng’eno, Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, stated that the impending convergence of Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria, coupled with the forecast of El Nino, could exacerbate the situation. The distance between the two lakes has shrunk from 15 kilometers in 2021 to just 9 kilometers in just four years.

Several areas are at risk of flooding, including the Giotto informal settlement on the shores of Lake Naivasha, a submerged ward on Lake Nakuru, and a submerged sub-county on Lake Turkana. Dr. Ng’eno warned that the above-average rainfall could intensify risks such as flooding, landslides, waterborne diseases, and disruptions to livelihoods.

While acknowledging that rainfall is beneficial, providing water for agriculture and recharging water resources, Ng’eno emphasized that its value is realized only when it reaches people and institutions in a timely and actionable manner. He urged the media to effectively communicate the forecast so that it can inform planning and interventions during the season. "We must move from climate information to early action," he stressed.

Ng’eno called for preparedness to capitalize on the opportunities brought by heavy rainfall, such as enhanced water availability and improved agricultural productivity, while simultaneously mitigating the hazards it could pose.