Protect citizens, assets from floods

After weeks of wait-and-see and wild claims and jokes about El Nino rains, there are signs that the ongoing downpour mirrors what the meteorological department warned would be another round of enhanced precipitation. They may have missed the dates when the deluge would start. 

But already the country is feeling the waves of flash floods that have caused deaths, displaced dozens of people, and shaken infrastructure.

It is good that the Met have not issued conflicting reports on whether these will reach the El Nino proportions or just enhanced rains. We call upon both the national and county governments to use the weather forecasts and the actual rains to plan well in terms of reducing the sting of the deluge that is expected to leave a trail of destruction.

Most important, the mitigation measures will require a lot of funds that must be put in the hands of the right people and institutions to reduce chances of misuse. We also ask the governments to mobilise resources and release the funds that had been allocated to ensure Kenyans, their assets and lives, and public facilities are protected from the possible losses.

This is the time to issue regular public communication, move to higher grounds, unlock the drainages, and build new ones without delay.

Apart from the mitigations, the government should ensure that the waters are harvested and stored for future use, now that food production, especially irrigated agriculture, has been identified as one of the low-hanging fruit in the fight against the high cost of living.