The government has activated a comprehensive national response ahead of forecast El Niño rains expected across Kenya in the coming days, placing emergency agencies and resources on standby.
The Ministry of Interior and National Administration said the response will be implemented under the National Contingency Plan, with interventions scaled up depending on the severity and geographical spread of emerging impacts.
The activation comes as Kenya enters the October-November-December rainfall season, with Kenya Meteorological Department forecasts for the period released on October 1. The World Meteorological Organization has also warned that the Greater Horn of Africa is expected to be wetter than usual in the final quarter of 2026 as El Niño strengthens.
National response to El Niño rains
The government said round-the-clock search-and-rescue operations will be undertaken by the Kenya Coast Guard Service, Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, Kenya Red Cross Society and National Youth Service.
Designated evacuation and displacement centres have been established, with a standardised registration system ready to identify and track displaced people and facilitate assistance. Alternative access routes will also be activated where roads and other transport infrastructure are disrupted, while air support will be mobilised through the National Disaster Operations Centre where required.
The health response will focus on preventing disease outbreaks that could follow flooding. The Public Health Emergency Operations Centre and Incident Management System have been deployed to coordinate emergency health services, strengthen surveillance and support the prevention and control of waterborne and vector-borne diseases.
Health and safety measures
Water-quality surveillance will be intensified in affected areas, alongside the distribution of water-treatment products. The government has also secured therapeutic and supplementary nutrition commodities and will assess sanitation facilities in affected settlements to minimise contamination and related health risks.
To safeguard food security and livelihoods, food stocks have been pre-positioned for release in 10 Priority 1 counties: Tana River, Garissa, Kisumu, Busia, Nakuru, Mombasa, Kilifi, Wajir, Mandera and Turkana.
Relief stocks and emergency shelter materials are also ready for deployment to evacuation and displacement sites, while protection mechanisms will be activated to identify and respond to the needs of vulnerable groups.
Food security and agricultural support
The government will issue location-specific agricultural advisories as conditions evolve and intensify animal disease surveillance to protect livestock. In the education sector, authorities will assess affected learning institutions and safeguard learning materials where schools are required to serve as displacement sites.
The National Disaster Operations Centre will coordinate the national response, while Governors and County Commissioners will oversee preparedness, response and recovery through county disaster management structures.
Counties will serve as lead implementers within their jurisdictions, with national institutions providing technical guidance. The government said it will continue monitoring the situation and updating its emergency plans as risks and weather conditions evolve across the country.
