Gov't to spend over Ksh.10 billion to manage effects of El Nino

The government says it has put in place adequate measures to mitigate the effects of El Nino rains set to start mid-October and run until the end of December.

In a stakeholders meeting chaired by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Thursday, the government estimated that it requires about Ksh.10 billion to manage the effects of El Nino, especially in ASAL areas.

The El Nino rains projected this year are said to be stronger than those of 1997.

“We see in our projections we will require Ksh.9.3 billion for the ASAL areas,” said EAC, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano.

Council of Governors Chair Ann Waiguru added: “For counties, we have projected to set aside Ksh.15 billion to also help in food for the displaced households.”

DP Gachagua, however, told agencies involved not to take advantage of the El Nino rains to drown taxpayers' money in floods.

“We must also know our country is doing bad...let’s be wise in our budgets, let us not exaggerate the situation,” he said.

The government has projected that the El Nino rains may affect the national examinations scheduled for the end of October. 

Defence CS Aden Duale told the gathering that he has put the military on standby and the Air Force will help in the distribution of national exams in areas worse affected by the expected heavy downpour.

“We know a lot of roads will be destroyed…we have set aside our military helicopters to help get exams to their centres,” Duale noted.

Gachagua added: “We must know that our work as government is to ensure no Kenyan dies as a result of the El Nino rains and failing to plan is planning to fail.”

The gathering at the deputy president's official residence called for immediate unclogging of city drainage with concerns of a ticking time health hazard. 

The Council of Governors wants KEMSA to supply medicine to the local health centres before the onset of El Nino.

“We are calling on KEMSA to move with speed...in the next two weeks, let us have drugs in all our hospitals...El Nino will bring along waterborne diseases,” CoG Health chairperson Muthomi Njuki stated.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u has been tasked to report back to a technical committee next Tuesday to outline the availability of resources to be used in the El Nino mitigation measures.