Trans Nzoia County Launches Comprehensive Plan to Tackle Impending El Niño
Trans Nzoia County Governor George Natembeya presided over the commissioning of the El Niño multi agency preparedness contingency plan on Monday.
The plan outlines strategies to safeguard the community against the impending threats of El Niño, which is characterized by warmer ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific and above normal rains.
Governor Natembeya emphasized the importance of collaboration between the county government and stakeholders such as the office of the County Commissioner, humanitarian agencies such as the Kenya Red Cross Society, and other agencies that contributed to the development of the plan.
He also stressed the importance of conserving the environment, as climate change is upon us and El Niño is one of its effects.
The plan includes measures to protect farmers’ crops, prevent the spread of waterborne diseases, and support businesses that may be disrupted by the rains.
The governor said already the county has activated its County Disaster Committee and set up a Command Centre with a toll free number 800724994 to ensure that it is prepared to respond to any emergencies that may arise.
In the agriculture sector, the county government is urging farmers to adopt the warehouse receipt system to protect their maize from the rains. Farmers will be charged ksh 10 per bag to use this system.
In the health sector, the county government will carry out awareness campaigns and ensure that treatment plans for waterborne diseases are adopted in all health facilities. The county will also utilize its County Health Promoters to monitor the situation and respond early to any outbreaks.
In the trade sector, the county government is working on measures to ensure that businesses can recover post El Niño.
The county government has also established an emergency fund to be utilized in ensuring that it is prepared to respond to emergencies that may arise during El Niño. The county government is calling on partners to assist in pooling more resources to have more impact on the community.
In this plan, the county has mapped out its hotspot areas based on situational analysis from the data on floods and mudslides experienced in the past. This data has formed the basis for the plan, enabling concerted efforts to be put in those areas to mitigate effects.
Governor Natembeya said, “In times of disaster, the community must come together. Each and every one has a role to play in mitigating the effects of this phenomenon,”
He also urged people to take care of the women, children, and people with disabilities who will be highly affected and require special assistance.
The Trans Nzoia County Commissioner, Gideon Oyagi, who spoke during the event, noted that the El Niño can have both positive and negative effects on the region. On the positive side, increased rainfall can replenish water sources and improve agricultural productivity.
However, excessive rainfall can also lead to flooding, landslides, and water logging, causing destruction to infrastructure, displacement of communities, and loss of lives and livelihoods.
“While the El Niño weather phenomenon cannot be predicted with absolute certainty, it is essential for the community to be prepared. Together, the community can build a more resilient and prepared society that can withstand the storm, no matter how severe it may be” he said.
The commissioner called on the Trans Nzoia residents to stay informed about weather forecasts and emergency alerts.
“The purpose of the Contingency Plan is to stimulate collective inter agency pooling of efforts and resources towards planning, resource allocation, preparedness, response execution and documentation of the anticipated scenario and their impacts with the three phases with El Nino surge. These are Pre El Nino, During El Nino and post El Nino,” he added.
Post Author
