By Cyrus Kioko
Kenya is expecting El Nino rains as from Thursday October, 7 as reported by Meteorological Department.
In a move to sensitize people about the phenomena, the department has issued alerts and direction on how residents in various places should prepare.
However, across the country, residents in vulnerable areas have despised the call to migrate as the rains assumed to be with accompaniment of strong storms and wind may cause huge damage to their properties.
In Nairobi, alerts have been given on areas which are prone to floods, flash flood zones and even zones in which there may be storms and strong winds.
On Tuesday October, 5, Director of Meteorological Service in Nairobi County, Ms Mary Kilavi, said the moderate showers will mark the onset of the short rains.
Such was realized on Wednesday in most parts of Nairobi with the vulnerable areas experiencing drizzles for a short period during the daytime.
Earlier, County Environment Executive Evans Ondieki said available data indicted a strong El Nino phenomenon, adding that the county was also in the process of discussing strategies to avert disaster.
“Predictions are that the enhanced rainfall will reach the strongest levels ever seen in the last four decades as the world heads into the El Nino season. Concerted efforts from residents and the county are necessary to avert a similar disaster like the one the world experienced last in 1997,”
said Ondieki during a press briefing at his office yesterday.
Additionally, he said 200 public schools had been identified where families living in slums on riparian land would be temporarily accommodated if they are relocated.
Different leaders have called for cooperation in the preparation for the rains a call which has been despised by many.
Deputy President William Ruto through his official twitter account urged Kenyans to unite in the move to prevent mass loss as realized in 1997.
As Gvt we don’t want a repeat of the past, we are making sure we control the situation before it affects citizens. pic.twitter.com/0UawUAycjp
— William Samoei Ruto (@WilliamsRuto) October 6, 2015
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Those asked to move to safer grounds should do so before the rains start. pic.twitter.com/Uj71ZlCg5D — William Samoei Ruto (@WilliamsRuto) October 6, 2015
As the El Nino rains approach we ask Kenyans to heed the advice of authorities setting up safeguards to prevent loss of lives & property.
— William Samoei Ruto (@WilliamsRuto) October 6, 2015
However, residents from various estates in Nairobi have maintained that they will remain at their respective places despite alerts and warning. Some whom Kenya Monitor spoke to claimed that they don’t have places to move to hence can only afford to maintain their current areas of residence. Richard Momanyi from Mukuru Kwa Njenga said he has no enough money to move to a place where the floods cannot affect.
“Here is where I call home. Nowhere else. So where would I move to? This area floods but we just keep at it through,” said victor Bakari a resident of Donholm.
Maria Musyoki a resident at Blue estate in Shauri Moyo whose rentals are along a river bank claimed that she could not find a place with equal pay where she could migrate to. Poor drainage systems in most slums in Nairobi remain a threat to residents in slums while landlords in the better placed areas have increased house rent as the rains approaches. Slums at a high risk of damage include Mathare, Huruma and Kibera. The Nairobi County Government is assuring residents that is well prepared to deal with the heavy rains Â
Response &emergency teams have been established in all the subcounties within the City to ensure minimal damage to property & life #ElNino — Dr. Evans Kidero (@KideroEvans) October 7, 2015
And it doesn’t seem like Kenyans are prepared, both going by what was shared by some residents and others as well
The tragedy of our time is that folks are waiting to take selfies with #ElNino devastated backgrounds than call for action before the rains.
— Saddique Shaban (@SaddiqueShaban) October 7, 2015
However, the government has provided some contacts to use in times of need Â
In preparation for El Niño, these are the numbers to call in case of emergency: 020-2151053, 020-212386, 1199, 0700395395, 0738395395 — Disaster Operations (@NDOCKenya) October 5, 2015
