West Pokot County prepares El Nino

Kapenguria,

Thursday, September 21, 2023

KNA By Richard Muhambe/Anthony Melly

West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin has reiterated that the county is more prepared to handle the effects of El Nino rains following meteorological department updates with some parts already experiencing notable rains.

Speaking to the media in Kapenguria, Kachapin said a multi-sectoral disaster preparedness committee has already been constituted with stakeholders drawn from the roads, water, health and agriculture among other departments for any emergency in case of the anticipated rains from October.

He added that his administration was also partnering with the national government co-led by the county commissioner together with other stakeholders willing to offer help in case of destructive El Nino weather.

 “No government across the world can say it is 100 percent prepared for emergencies. We are not however pessimistic since we are looking at the rains in both the positive and the negative side,” stated the governor noting that this time round there are more adequate frameworks unlike during the last El Nino.

Kachapin mentioned that some of the positive impacts of the rains are that there shall be plenty of pasture for livestock which means pastoralists shall be spared the agony of migrating to far places in search of grazing fields.

He explained that areas that receive little rains may have improved food security in case they plant short-season crops noting that there have been failed harvests because of drought experienced.

Kachapin however highlighted that the negative effects in the region would be more owing to the many escapements with areas such as Ortum, Kongelai, Kacheliba, Parua, Nyarkulian and Muino having been mapped out as those highly prone to flooding in case of downpours.

“We anticipate that in case we have flooding, landslides will occur because of the destruction of forests and vegetation that has made most of our areas have loose soils. Roads will be destroyed and that is why we have put up measures for such an emergency by having bulldozers and tractors on standby,” he elaborated.

The governor observed that most of the farmers in the region were harvesting their maize and the major challenge is that there are few driers in the three cereal boards to meet their needs in the event of the rains.

He said the main thing the county was doing was to educate members of the public through various media platforms and there are going to be teams to visit local radio stations to sensitize residents on the effects of the El Nino phenomenon.

He urged residents to take individual care even if it is the government’s responsibility to ensure its people are safe at all times.

The governor advised those living on areas prone to landslides to move to safer sites when the rains commence as predicted by the weather department.

“You never know the magnitude of the rains but we do not want to take risks. We recently bought ambulances and set money aside for emergencies although it is not enough. We ask the lead government which is the national government to allocate more funds for emergencies,” he appealed.

Kachapin reiterated that health facilities are ready since during such times waterborne diseases are usually prevalent.

West Pokot has had devastating floods and landslides that claimed several lives with the most notable one being in 2019 where more than 50 people perished.

Courtesy; KNA