CS Deborah Barasa defends government over flood warnings, says alerts were issued early

Madam CS, there is criticism that the government had advance warning of heavy rains but failed to adequately prepare the country. Your ministry oversees the Kenya Meteorological Department. Who exactly consumes the weather forecasts issued by the department?

There are multiple stakeholders who consume that information. First, the community itself, but also at a multisectoral level. When we talk about forecasts and climatic outlooks, we share that information as a whole of government and as a whole of society. Implementation also takes that same approach.

But if those warnings were issued, why did Kenyans not hear from the government earlier about the impending heavy rainfall?

As a ministry, through the Kenya Meteorological Department, we issued the forecast and warnings. That is our responsibility. We inform Kenyans whenever there is likely to be drought or flooding. After that, other government departments responsible for disaster management step in to coordinate preparedness and response.

So which department is responsible for coordinating that response?

The State Department responsible for disaster management convenes the response teams. They bring together the relevant ministries and agencies to develop preparedness plans and emergency interventions. It is a coordinated effort across government.

Critics say the response has appeared disjointed and slow, especially given the scale of flooding and loss of lives.

I understand the concerns and acknowledge the challenges. However, disaster response requires coordination between national and county governments and communities. When we issue forecasts, each level of government must act within its mandate

Some experts say flooding is partly caused by construction on riparian land. Agencies such as the National Environment Management Authority fall under your ministry. What is being done to address this?

That is an important issue. Many of these developments were inherited from previous administrations over many years. We have legal frameworks in place and enforcement is ongoing. But you must also understand that these processes are sometimes politically sensitive.

Can you give concrete examples of what has been done so far to reclaim riparian land?

We are working with partners on projects supported by climate financing that address river restoration and environmental protection. We are also collaborating with different agencies working on urban river rehabilitation.

Flooding has also raised concerns about waste management in cities like Nairobi. Does your ministry see this as a contributing factor?

Absolutely. Waste management is a major issue, especially in urban centres. When I joined the ministry, coming from a public health background, I was particularly concerned about this. That is why we are implementing a circular economy strategy to improve waste management.

What does that circular economy strategy involve?

It involves moving away from the traditional linear model where waste is simply dumped in landfills. Instead, we are promoting recycling and reuse. Plastics can be recycled into new products, organic waste can be converted into fertilizers, and textiles can be repurposed. In some cases, waste can even be converted into energy.

Is this strategy already being implemented?

Yes. We have begun with major urban centres such as Mombasa and Kisumu and we are expanding to other cities including Nairobi. You may recall that the President recently visited the Dandora dumpsite to highlight the importance of waste management reforms.

What immediate steps is the government taking as the rainy season continues?

We are issuing regular weather forecasts and working closely with other ministries to coordinate preparedness and response. Meetings are being convened to review affected areas and implement both short-term and long-term interventions.

What kind of long-term interventions are being considered?

Long-term solutions include improving drainage systems, restoring ecosystems, enforcing environmental regulations and strengthening coordination between national and county governments.

Let us turn to another issue generating debate. There have been reports that trees are being cut down in Karura Forest. What exactly is happening there?

Let me be very clear. The government is not destroying Karura Forest. What is happening is that we are clearing a small area to establish nurseries.

How large is the area that has been cleared?

Approximately two to three acres. The intention is to propagate between two million and ten million seedlings that will be used to green our cities and other parts of the country.

Some people claim the trees are being cut to create housing facilities.

That is not accurate. What we have is temporary accommodation for officers from the National Youth Service who will help in propagating the seedlings. These are temporary structures, essentially containers, to support the tree-growing initiative.

Critics say there is mistrust because Karura has historically been a symbol of environmental activism. How is the ministry engaging the public?

Public engagement is very important. But sometimes there is also a lot of misinformation and politicisation of environmental issues. What we are doing is restoring ecosystems across the country — forests, wetlands, coastal ecosystems and drylands.

Can Kenya realistically achieve the target of planting billions of trees?

Yes, it is achievable. Other countries have done it. For example, Ethiopia has planted hundreds of millions of trees in a single day. We believe that with proper coordination and participation from communities, Kenya can also achieve this goal. 

Any final message to Kenyans concerned about flooding and environmental management?

We must work together. Environmental protection and disaster preparedness are shared responsibilities. Government, counties and communities must collaborate if we are to build resilience and protect our people from disasters.