Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi has expressed dissatisfaction with the Kenya Meteorological Department, accusing them of providing misleading information that contributed to delayed preparedness for the severe impacts of El Niño.
Abdullahi, who also holds the position of Vice Chair of the Council of Governors (CoG), asserted that the Meteorological Department’s inconsistent updates created a lack of urgency in readiness efforts.
He highlighted the reliance on the meteorological department’s early warning system, emphasizing that mixed signals from them, coupled with media sensationalism, discouraged proactive measures that could have been taken.
Speaking on Citizen TV’s Daybreak program, the Governor mentioned disruptions in coordination meetings with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua as an additional obstacle to preparedness initiatives.
Addressing concerns about the management of funds allocated for El Niño impact mitigation, Abdullahi revealed that discussions with the Deputy President had outlined a budget of Ksh.15 billion from the National Government. However, rumors of potential misappropriation hindered effective planning.
The governor also underscored the security implications of floods in the North Eastern region, pointing to increased insecurity due to cross-border clan conflicts and heightened activity by groups like al Shabaab.
“During the drought period, we experienced cross-border clan conflicts between communities in Wajir and Isiolo. Immediately after the recent rains, there was increased al Shabaab activity and movement because they find it easier to camouflage when it’s wet,” he stated.
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