Governor Wavinya Ndeti addresing the press at her Whitehouse office in Machakos county on September 21,2026.Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has assured residents that the county is prepared for the anticipated El Niño rains.
Speaking while opening the Kenya Inter-Agency Rapid Assessment (KIRA) training at the Machakos County Disaster Operations Centre, the governor said the county, together with its partners, had already commenced preparations to ensure a timely and coordinated response.
"As Machakos County and our partners, we started planning early, and we are here for this training to ensure that we are ready to do the job. We are prepared. Last time we experienced floods, we responded very well in partnership with the Red Cross," Ndeti said.
The governor urged residents living near riverbanks, low-lying areas and known flood corridors to take official weather advisories seriously, avoid hazardous crossings and keep children away from swollen rivers and other waterways.
She also shared emergency contacts for use during emergencies and assured residents that the county would continue publicising them through local and national media channels.
George Ndolo, who is in charge of the Kenya Red Cross Society in the Eastern Region, said the organisation had mobilised equipment and strengthened its response teams ahead of the rains.
He urged residents in flood-prone areas to move to safer, elevated areas, strengthen their buildings where possible and keep important documents secure.
"We have already started mobilising our equipment to high-rainfall-prone areas and increased our response teams. I also urge those living in low-lying areas to move to higher ground, strengthen their buildings and keep their documents safe," Ndolo said.
Robert Kyalo, Director of the Kenya Meteorological Department in Machakos County, said significant rainfall was expected from the third or fourth week of October and could continue into January 2027.
He noted that areas including Mavoko, Athi River and Kalama could receive substantial rainfall, urging farmers to follow weather advisories when making decisions on what to plant and to regularly check the department's weekly and monthly updates.
The meeting comes at a time when the country is preparing for increased rainfall, with stakeholders stepping up measures to minimise the impact of potential flooding and other weather-related emergencies.
