Preparations for the El-Niño rains in Marsabit County are in top gear with a plan for a multi-sectorial approach to the anticipated weather phenomenon being worked on.
The plan which is being developed by the county government in collaboration with stakeholders is two-front thronged to harness the benefits associated with it and precaution against disasters of the forecast excess rains.
The county government has, with the support of Concern Worldwide and USAid-Nawiri, organized a three-day workshop to help in the development of a sectorial preparedness plan amid an information campaign for communities living in areas known to be prone to floods to move to safer grounds.
The chief officer for livestock Dr. Halikano Arero said that an exercise to vaccinate over 500,000 livestock against diseases to boost immunity and prevent opportunistic diseases was in progress across the county.
Dr Arero said enough water and pasture were also expected if the rains predicted by the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) to start in Marsabit late this month would be received but that residents with settlements in the lowlands were being advised to migrate to higher grounds to avert disasters.
“We would also like to advise that settlement on seasonal waterways is not tenable and those who are living on rivers banks to vacate without delay,” he said.
Desilting of pans and dams has also been ongoing while many households and groups who have been provided with water tanks by both levels of government were being asked to take advantage of the expected rains to harvest and store water.
The county government is also set to start distributing an assortment of crop seeds as well as that for pasture by the end of this week to enable farmers to reap from the rains.
The technical departments involved in developing the plan with the coordination of the drought management authority (NDMA) include agriculture, roads, health, public administration, water and of education.
The participants expressed concern over blocked storm drains in Marsabit town and the likelihood of overflow or bank breakage by a dam constructed on the upper part of Karare settlement area in Marsabit Central sub-county.
The county director of meteorological services Abdi Jillo told the forum that an outlook for the October-November-December short rains in Marsabit County indicates that there would be above the long-term average rains.
The planning workshop is being held in the backdrop of the sector actors racing against time as the predicted enhanced rains beckon.
NDMA county head of communication John Ougo said that many donors and agencies have expressed willingness to fund interventions to forestall disasters.
He said the action plan that would emanate from the forum would form the basis for organizations to swing into action as soon as the proposals are sanctioned by the county steering group.
By Sebastian Miriti
