The government has urged Kenyans to treat the El Niño forecast as a trigger for early action rather than panic, stating that preparedness will help safeguard lives, livelihoods and the national economy.
Environment and Climate Change PS Festus Ng’eno said the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) forecast should guide multisectoral preparedness.
“KMD has issued an El Niño forecast. I want to be clear from the outset: this is not intended to cause panic, but to trigger early action. El Niño is no longer a distant phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean; it directly affects our food, health, livestock and economy,” Ng’eno said.
Environment Secretary Selly Kimosop read Ng’eno’s speech during a webinar on the October–December 2026 rainfall season.
Principal Meteorologist Jemimah Gacheru said there is a 75 per cent chance the El Niño will reach historic levels as the country transitions into the season.
She said counties including Nandi, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Siaya and Busia would continue to receive rains.
Ng’eno said the government had drawn key lessons from the 2022 drought as well as the devastating floods of 2023 and 2024.
“The lesson is simple and clear: we cannot afford to be reactive to predicted weather reports. Late action is expensive; early action saves lives and resources,” he said.
He said KMD has modernised its forecasting systems and now issues impact-based forecasts that detail not only what the weather will be, but what it will do.
Livestock official John Maina noted that while the upcoming rains will improve forage, they could also disrupt transport networks and trigger livestock diseases.
National Disaster Operations Centre data officer Jesse Ithai said coordination meetings involving government agencies, humanitarian organisations, UN agencies and counties were underway to strengthen preparedness.
Agriculture official Ruth Njeri urged farmers to prepare land, diversify crops, and use quality, climate-resilient planting materials, warning of potential floods, post-harvest losses, pests and diseases.
