NAIROBI, Kenya — The Cabinet has approved an ambitious national preparedness plan to cushion Kenya against the forecast moderate-to-strong El Niño rains later this year, establishing a high-level committee to coordinate emergency response and reduce the impact of flooding across the country.
The decision was made during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, as the Government intensified efforts to prevent a repeat of the devastating floods that displaced thousands of families and damaged critical infrastructure in previous rainy seasons.
Cabinet established an Ad Hoc Cabinet Committee on El Niño Preparedness and Response, to be chaired by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, with the mandate of coordinating government agencies and overseeing implementation of mitigation measures ahead of the expected rains.
According to the Cabinet communiqué, the committee will immediately activate a National El Niño Contingency Plan focusing on flood mitigation, evacuation and shelter arrangements, drainage clearance, reinforcement of vulnerable roads and bridges, pre-positioning of emergency equipment and medical supplies, farmer advisories, and establishment of a contingency fund to support relief, recovery and rehabilitation efforts.
The intervention comes as weather experts have projected above-normal rainfall associated with the El Niño phenomenon, raising concerns over possible flooding, landslides and disruption of transport, agriculture and essential public services in several parts of the country.
Kenya has previously experienced severe El Niño events that caused widespread destruction of roads, bridges, schools and health facilities while displacing communities and disrupting economic activities.
By launching the contingency plan months before the expected peak rains, the Government aims to strengthen preparedness rather than rely solely on emergency response after disasters occur.
The Cabinet said the strategy prioritises protecting lives while ensuring critical infrastructure remains operational during periods of heavy rainfall. The planned reinforcement of vulnerable transport corridors and drainage systems is expected to minimise disruptions to movement of people, goods and emergency services.
The inclusion of farmer advisories also seeks to help the agricultural sector prepare for changing weather conditions by providing guidance on crop management, livestock protection and other climate adaptation measures.
The contingency fund approved by Cabinet is expected to facilitate rapid deployment of humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure and recovery support for affected communities once the rains subside.