Inside major reforms in Nairobi disaster response as bill propose new entity as antidote

Past city flooding disaster./FILE

Disaster response in Nairobi County is set to have a significant shift following a proposal to create a fully fledged, powerful authority.

The Disaster and Emergency Management Bill sponsored by the executive is currently undergoing public participation.

It creates various structures, including the disaster and emergency management authority that is proposed to be an autonomous body corporate that will not only foresee and oversee disaster response, but also do research and retain requisite talents to improve the city’s disaster management.

The Bill also creates a disaster management committee, which will be chaired by the governor.

It also seeks to fill the vacuum that has seen random and guesswork-like disaster response.

The devolved unit has been lousy in responding to emergencies such as fires, especially in marketplaces, as fire engines are never ready and in some instances, are driven to disaster sites with no water.

This year alone, lives and businesses have been gutted by fires, with informal settlements and industrial zones bearing the brunt.

In February, the city witnessed multiple outbreaks. On February 7, a night fire swept through Soweto Highrise in Lang’ata, leaving more than 200 families homeless, though no injuries were reported.

Barely three weeks later, on February 23, flames engulfed sections of Kariobangi Light Industries, destroying workshops and nearby residential units while injuring at least 10 people.

Just days later, on February 28, another blaze hit Kibera’s Lindi area, razing about 40 houses and leaving several residents nursing minor injuries. The crisis deepened in May, when a fire tore through the Makina area of Kibera on May 24.

This was among the deadliest incidents of the year, killing six people, injuring 20 and displacing dozens of households.

By mid-year, the cycle of destruction had not eased. On June 12, another inferno struck Kibra’s Kichinjio area, wiping out houses and small businesses and forcing more than 200 families into homelessness.

These incidents highlight the persistent vulnerability of Nairobi’s informal settlements to fire disasters, where congested housing, limited access to fire engines and poor electrical connections create the perfect conditions for recurring tragedies.

The proposed law says the authority will be the lead agency for coordinating emergency response and disaster management and that it will herald a regime that enhances disaster risk reduction through proactive assessments, early warning systems and mitigation measures.

The Bill also seeks to improve institutional and community preparedness and ensure timely and coordinated response to disasters.

This will be achieved through public education, partner engagement and community-based approaches aimed at building community resilience to disasters.

It will also integrate disaster risk management into county planning, budgeting and development in line with Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals and including creating the County Disaster Management Fund and mobilising resources for effective implementation.

Besides the governor, the Nairobi Disaster and Emergency Management Committee will have the county regional commissioner, county police commander, CEC in charge of disaster response, the county attorney , disasters chief officer, finance chief officer and the director general of the newly created disaster authority.

The committee shall foster inter-governmental and inter-agency collaboration and coordination; assist in the mobilisation of additional resources from state and non-state actors; and provide general oversight during major emergency and disaster incidents within the county.

According to the Bill, the disaster authority will lead in formulating policy and strategic directions for disaster and emergency management in the county and coordinate emergency response and disaster management.

Its mandate will deal with issues such as fire and rescue services, disaster risk reduction services and research, innovations, training and capacity development solutions in the field of emergency response and disaster management.

It will also enforce safety standards developed under the proposed law or any other applicable law.

Also, its job will be accrediting and regulating emergency response and disaster management service providers operating within the County; and providing appropriate technical support and advisory services.

Others are preparing and submitting periodic reports to the County Executive and the County Assembly as maybe required; and Performing any other functions as may be conferred by the proposed law or any other written law.

Instant analysis:
Nairobi’s proposed disaster authority signals long-overdue reform, but its success will hinge on funding, political will, and whether it can overcome the city’s history of failed emergency systems.