Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich has issued a notice to thousands of residents living in flood- and mudslide-prone areas in the county to relocate ahead of the anticipated El Niño rains.
The risky areas are along the escarpments in Kerio Valley, where an estimated 100,000 people have homes in dangerous zones.
Rotich said the El Niño rains are expected to increase by the end of this month, and those in the risky areas must move out or be forced out by the government.
“This time we will not tolerate any laxity or jokes. We have to protect lives at all costs,” he said.
“And that is why we have issued an order that the families in those risky areas must move out voluntarily or be forced out.”
Rotich made the remarks at Kapcherop, where he noted that already, teams of officers have been deployed to the risky areas to inform residents on the expected situation.
In November last year, more than 40 people were killed when mudslides swept through several villages in Kerio Valley.
Rotich said they would not allow a similar incident again, hence the decision to move families out of risky areas. Most of the families have homes along the escarpments and also in the uplands.
Rotich said the county and the national government had put in place teams that would deal with the El Niño situation.
The West Pokot government has also stepped up preparations for the anticipated El Niño rains, with Governor Simon Kachapin directing relevant teams to strengthen risk assessment, coordination and response planning.
“We have activated all the relevant departments and disaster management structures so that we are ready ahead of the heavy rains expected in many parts of the country,” Kachapin said.
The Kenya Meteorological Department has forecast above-normal rainfall from the second week of October to January 2027.
Counties expected to receive above-average rainfall include Nairobi, Kiambu, Murang’a, Machakos, Nakuru, Narok, Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Nandi, Bungoma, Kakamega, Kisumu, Garissa, Wajir and Mombasa.
The government has warned of possible floods, landslides, destruction of roads, displacement and cholera outbreaks. The National Disaster Operations Centre and the Interior Ministry are already mapping evacuation centres.
In West Pokot, a preparedness meeting held at the county headquarters brought together county secretary Jonathan Siwanyang, public service executive Esther Chelimo, special programmes and disaster management chief officer Daniel Lopale, county meteorologist Wilson Lonyang’ole, officers from the agriculture, water and gender departments, and representatives from the National Drought Management Authority and Kenya Red Cross Society.
Siwanyang said the meeting focused on validating the risk assessment tool, planning field-based risk assessments and initiating participatory scenario planning to identify potential risks and guide timely interventions.
Participants also discussed strengthening early-warning systems, improving access to reliable climate information, raising community awareness and enhancing coordination among response actors, with particular attention to vulnerable groups.
Siwanyang said the meeting was part of the county’s ongoing efforts to enhance preparedness and ensure timely and coordinated action in the event of El Niño-related hazards.
“We will also move to the subcounties to ensure that all our relevant staff are well prepared. We will also sensitise our communities on what to expect and how to act,” he said.
He said the county will work with other stakeholders in the region to ensure a well-coordinated response to the expected weather conditions.
