Kenya Braces for El Niño Rains as Government Steps Up Preparedness

Kenya Braces for El Niño Rains as Government Steps Up Preparedness

Government Spokesperson Charles Owino, alongside Principal Secretaries Stephen Isaboke and John Lekakeny Ololtuaa, addresses the media in Nairobi on the Government’s preparedness for the anticipated October to December El Niño rains and measures to minimise disruption to essential services, including national examinations.

By Jeff Oyugi 

Nairobi - September 10, 2026

The Government has stepped up preparations for the anticipated October, November and December rains, warning Kenyans to brace for potentially above average rainfall linked to an expected El Niño event while assuring the public that key sectors, including education, are ready to respond.

Government Spokesperson Charles Owino said Kenya has a 90 per cent chance of experiencing above average or very high rainfall during the October to December period, urging Kenyans to prepare early but assuring them there was no need for panic.

“There is no cause for panic. However, there is every reason for government institutions, communities and individual citizens to remain alert and take appropriate precautionary measures,” Owino said.

The Government has adopted a coordinated multi agency approach to minimise the risks posed by the expected weather conditions, bringing together departments dealing with education, health, roads, food security, emergency response, environment and climate change.

The preparedness plan is also expected to safeguard the country's national examinations, with Principal Secretary for the State Department for Basic Education John Lekakeny Ololtuaa assuring learners, parents and schools that examinations will proceed despite the anticipated heavy rains.

Ololtuaa said the Government would not postpone national examinations because of the El Niño conditions, noting that education authorities had already identified strategies to ensure candidates sit their examinations safely and without unnecessary disruption.

The assurance is expected to ease concerns among thousands of candidates and families who could otherwise be affected by flooding, impassable roads and other weather related disruptions during the examination period.

Rather than waiting for the rains to disrupt the examination calendar, Ololtuaa said the education sector had prepared measures to deal with challenges that may arise, signalling a shift towards early intervention and contingency planning.

The Government's position means that schools, education officials and other relevant agencies will have to work closely to ensure learners can access examination centres even in areas affected by flooding or other extreme weather conditions.

The education sector is particularly critical because heavy rains can disrupt transport, damage school infrastructure, displace families and expose learners to safety risks. The preparedness measures are therefore intended to ensure that weather related emergencies do not unnecessarily interfere with the national examination programme.

Owino said the Kenya Meteorological Services Authority was closely monitoring developments in the Pacific and Indian oceans, which are key indicators in determining the intensity and distribution of El Niño related rainfall.

According to the Government, sea surface temperature anomalies in the Pacific Ocean have reached a positive 2.7 threshold and are expected to rise further. Such warming is associated with increased rainfall across the country.

However, Owino noted that the Indian Ocean Dipole, another important factor in determining the intensity of rainfall, remains at a neutral positive 0.25, below the positive 0.4 level that would typically amplify the destructive potential of El Niño rains.

The Meteorological Department will continue monitoring the Indian Ocean Dipole and other weather indicators and issue regular updates as the situation evolves.

The Government has raised particular concern over communities living in flood prone and riparian areas, calling on residents in such locations to move to safer grounds before the rains intensify.

Owino also acknowledged the difficult situation already facing parts of western Kenya, which have experienced depressed rainfall despite the looming forecast of enhanced rains.

The region, regarded as a major source of the country's staple food, has experienced crop failures following prolonged and intense dry spells, raising concerns about food security should heavy rains subsequently cause flooding and further damage to crops.

Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications Stephen Isaboke, who chairs the newly established National Crisis Communication Standing Committee, said communication would be at the centre of the Government's preparedness strategy.

Isaboke said the communication framework was established following Cabinet approval of a new communication policy and would coordinate national crisis messaging while ensuring accurate information reaches Kenyans before emergencies occur.

He called for what he described as overcommunication to ensure no community is left behind, particularly those living in areas prone to flooding and other climate related disasters.

“We should actually caution to overcommunicate, so that we do not leave anybody out,” Isaboke said, stressing the importance of ensuring warnings reach Kenyans in a language and through channels they can understand and access.

The Government plans to use vernacular radio stations, digital platforms and national Government administrative structures to disseminate warnings and advisories at community level.

Isaboke said the strategy was designed to move the country away from a reactive approach to disasters towards an “early warning, early action” model.

He noted that previous emergencies had often resulted in responses being mounted after disasters had already occurred, exposing communities to avoidable loss of lives, property and livelihoods.

“This communication framework is not just intended for the media alone,” Isaboke said, adding that the Government would work with ministries, departments, agencies, development partners and other stakeholders to ensure crisis information is consistent, timely and actionable.

He identified accuracy, timeliness, transparency, credibility, consistency and inclusivity as key principles that would guide Government communication during the anticipated rains and other national emergencies.

The Government also cautioned Kenyans against spreading unverified information, saying false reports could undermine preparedness efforts and create unnecessary fear.

Members of the public have been urged to rely on information issued by official Government and technical agencies, particularly the Meteorological Department, and to pay attention to advisories specific to their counties and communities.

The Government has further appealed to the media to play a central role in the preparedness campaign by disseminating verified information and helping technical agencies reach communities across the country.

The latest warning comes as Kenya continues to experience increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, with prolonged dry spells sometimes followed by intense rainfall capable of triggering floods, landslides, disease outbreaks, infrastructure damage and disruption of livelihoods.

With the education sector also declaring itself ready, the Government's message is one of preparedness rather than alarm: Kenyans should not panic, but should take the forecasts seriously, protect their families and livelihoods, avoid high risk areas and act promptly whenever official authorities issue safety or evacuation advisories.

As the country heads into the October to December season, authorities say the success of the preparedness campaign will ultimately depend on how effectively early warnings are translated into early action.

For the Government, the priority is clear: ensure that the anticipated rains do not catch communities, schools or critical institutions unprepared.