Ruto: Kenya Met has downscaled its El-Nino alert, country to experience 'significant' rains

Speaking during a church service in Dagoretti on Sunday, the president said the department has instead scaled it down to short rains, which is good for the country's agricultural sector.

Ruto added that this will allow farmers to produce more to cushion the country's food basket.

"You see the department has now said there will be no El-Nino, we will only have significant rains, which is even better for us to get to our farms and produce more," Ruto said.

The weatherman had warned that El Nino will hit the country from mid-October to December, before clarifying that the rains will be significant, but not El Nino. 

President Ruto also said the prayers for rains he conducted at the Nyayo National stadium in February paid off, as the country has since had prolonged rains which have allowed farmers to produce more for the country.

"There are those who criticised us when we prayed for rains at Nyayo stadium. They said a whole president is praying for rain. Now see, we have more rains than we have had in four years, that is God's doing," Ruto said. 

The president also vowed to ensure that his government puts in more resources and effort in agriculture and food production, to ensure that the country's food security is guaranteed.

He also took a jibe at the opposition Azimio la Umoja who early this year led its supporters in street protests over high cost of living.

"That is why I keep saying maandamano won't put food on the table. If people have to demonstrate, then let them demonstrate in the farms to produce more food," Ruto added. 

In February this year, Ruto led the nation in prayer as Kenyans and political leaders gathered for the National Prayer Day event.

"We pray for rain; we pray that you shall open the heavens for us so that you can have plenty and so that our farms can produce. So that we can have food in plenty and so that the people of Kenya can rejoice. Father, we commit our children; we call our children, Heavenly Father, from drugs, we call them to come back home. We call our children from alcoholism; we claim back the future of our nation,” he prayed.