1.The weight of tragic events in recent weeks has tested our nation's resilience in the wake of unprecedented challenges. Persistent torrential rainfall has unleashed devastating floods, which have claimed 210 lives as of today, caused injuries to many more and wreaked havoc on property, infrastructure and livelihoods.
2.No corner of our country has been spared from this havoc. The re-opening date of our schools after the April holidays, which was scheduled for Monday this week, had to be varied. Transportation has become challenging in many parts of the country due to flooded and damaged roads and bridges and the threat of raging rivers and overflowing dams in downstream regions.
3.Water volumes in the Seven Forks Hydro-Electric power dams have hit historic highs, with Masinga and Kiambere dams already spilling over through the managed spillways and threatening to overflow into neighbouring settlements and causing devastation downstream in Garissa and Tana River counties.
4.Sadly, we have not seen the last of this perilous period, as the situation is expected to escalate. Meteorological reports paint a dire picture: The rains will persist, increasing both in duration and intensity for the rest of this month and possibly after.
5.The Kenya Meteorological Department and the IGAD Climate Prediction Applications Centre, have issued a stark warning: Kenya may face its first-ever cyclone.
6.Our country must act swiftly and decisively to mitigate the devastating impacts of the present crisis and protect life and property.
7.The loss of human life, displacement of people, and destruction of property have been most profound within fragile ecosystems on which the government has taken the following actions:
a)First, the government has mapped out 178 dams, and water reservoirs situated within public and private land in 33 counties, which are already full and present imminent danger to adjacent settlements.
b)Second, areas prone to landslides and mudslides in various counties have been identified as high-risk areas from which the adjacent settlements have to be evacuated.
c)Third, relocation notices have been issued to all persons living in unplanned settlements within riparian reserves along rivers, streams and other watercourses.
8.Acknowledging the gravity of this unfolding situation, the Cabinet has met three times over the last 10 days to provide leadership on a whole of Government response to the crisis.
b)County security committees are directed to determine on a case-by-case basis the radius that shall constitute the scope of the area subject to vacation or mandatory evacuation orders.
c)The county security committees are further directed to continuously monitor other dams or water reservoirs across the country that may not be presenting a risk now but could do so in the event of further precipitation.
d)The Kenya Defence Forces and the National Police Service are directed to deploy resources, personnel and equipment for carrying out coordinated public safety and risk mitigation operations.
e)Security agencies are further directed to enlist the support of the National Youth Service and work with National Government Administration Officers to respond to this emergency, including ensuring timely, orderly and humane evacuation of all persons at risk.
f)Cabinet Secretaries will spearhead disaster response and mitigation efforts across the country. To this end Ministries, Departments and Agencies are directed to work closely with the National Disaster Operations Center and Security Agencies to ensure the whole of government approach to the management of the prevailing crisis.
g)The Government, working with stakeholders, has put in place adequate measures to provide temporary shelter as well as food and nonfood essential supplies.
h)The Ministry responsible for Special Programs for is directed to work with development partners and relevant humanitarian organisations to mobilise adequate food and non-food supplies to support the affected persons.
i)The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, through the National Cereals and Produce Board, is directed to make available food supplies in government stores to support this effort.
j)The Ministry of Health is directed to work with development partners, including the WHO, AMREF, Red Cross, UNHCR, WFP and other relevant humanitarian organisations to mobilise resources and logistical support to avail essential drugs and other medical supplies.
k)The Ministry of Interior is directed to coordinate the relocation and evacuation of the affected members of the public, identification of sites for temporary shelter for displaced persons and supervise the overall support programs.
l)The Ministry of Education is directed to postpone the dates of re-opening of all schools in the country for the second term until further notice.
m)Members of Parliament are requested to re-organize their CDF allocations to prioritise the reconstruction of school infrastructure that has been damaged as a result of the floods.
n)As the National Government plays its role in dealing with the current situation, I request County Governments, Development Partners and the Private Sector to join the efforts.
o)In Nairobi, settlements in riparian reserves have complicated the response efforts and compounded and aggravated the risks to human life and safety. The Ministry of Interior is hereby directed to enforce the re- location notices issued earlier upon their expiry at 6:30 pm today.
p)We appreciate and thank members of the public who are already cooperating with the Government on the evacuation and relocation efforts underway.
Further, the Government appreciates the goodwill demonstrated by thousands of individuals and institutional volunteers who have made tremendous input into alleviating the suffering and pain of those affected by the prevailing crisis.
In the same spirit, the public is called upon to respect and adhere to safety alerts and interventions and to cease and desist from risking their lives or the lives of others by daring the force of nature. Kenyans must avoid endangering their lives by recklessly attempting to cross flooded rivers or drive on waterlogged roads.
I extend my gratitude to the media for their commitment to contribute airtime worth KSh100 million to support the response to this crisis.
9.The measures we are taking at present are aimed at responding to the current crisis in the immediate and short-term. For us to conclusively address such threats in the long-term we have to acknowledge and act to reverse the adverse effects of climate change.
10.The current unprecedented crisis of floods that our country faces, as well as the recent devastating drought our country faced (the worst in 40 years, after five consecutive failed rainy seasons), is a direct consequence of our failure to protect our environment, resulting in the painful effects of climate change we are witnessing today. Our country is poised to remain in this cyclical crisis for a long time unless and until we confront the existential threat of climate change.
11.Our climate action agenda is informed by the sad reality that our country’s future remains under threat until we restore our degraded ecosystems, including forests, rivers, and wetlands.
12.We must therefore remain committed to confronting this existential challenge head-on. It is imperative for us to prioritise environmental conservation efforts and implement aggressive reforestation and wetland restoration programmes. Scientific evidence indicates that restoring our natural habitats is our best defence against escalating weather extremes.
13.To this end, I urge you, fellow citizens, to sustain and intensify your positive response to the ecosystem restoration plan, which aims to grow 15 billion trees nationwide within the next 10 years.
15.The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry is hereby directed to immediately expedite the implementation of the ecosystem restoration programme and work with all Ministries, Departments, Agencies and other stakeholders to provide a whole Government programme.
16.In the face of daunting challenges, immense threats and unprecedented hazards, our nation has never failed. The people of Kenya always stand with one another and work together to overcome adversity. We are called upon once again to join hands in this critical juncture and support each other until this season passes, and afterwards, in all endeavours to secure a sustainable future for generations to come. Together, we will win the war against climate change and build a resilient nation.
Thank You, God Bless You,
