The Ministry of Interior launched a Disaster Risk Management (DRM) framework aimed at reducing deaths, curbing destruction of the economy and environment as well as social assets during disasters.
The DRM is aimed at reducing loss of lives and livelihoods and achieving sustainable development by establishing guidelines for decimating losses in times of tragedies.
Secretary for National Internal Security in the Ministry of Interior and National Administration Thomas Saka said the objective of the national DRM strategy is to effectively implement risk reduction actions within the DRM framework and, most importantly, integrate DRM into planning and practice.
The strategy indicates that climate change has intensified disasters by increasing their complexity, frequency and intensity.
Climate change has weakened the cultural coping mechanisms, reducing the communities’ abilities to adapt and thereby increasing vulnerability.
The vulnerabilities stem from factors such as poverty, unplanned urbanization, environmental degradation, and limited access to services.
“Exposure (to the risk) is influenced by the location of populations’ critical infrastructure and economic assets in hazard – prone areas,” the strategy says.
Speaking during the launch at Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Saka said this includes reducing the exposure of communities to hazards, reducing their vulnerability, and increasing their capacity to anticipate, prepare, respond, and recover from the effects of hazards.
Saka said the strategy emphasizes evaluating development programs from the perspective of reducing vulnerability and integrating measures to mitigate potential risks, exposure and impacts.
“The strategy also focuses on enhancing organizational capacity and creating an enabling environment that supports sustainable disaster risk management,” stated Saka.
Saka said strategy has been developed with consultations with UN agencies, line ministries, state agencies and departments, research and academia, civil societies, NGOs and stakeholders from the private sector.
It identifies disasters that Kenya is exposed to including droughts, floods, landslides, disease outbreaks, fires and technological accidents.
Technological hazards established during the preparation of the policy include factory explosions, chemical spills, dam failures, toxic waste among others.
Through the strategy, Saka said the Ministry will be assisting the State Department for Special Programmes under the Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special programmes in implementing Emergency response and mitigation.
Kenya has faced disasters that have significantly impacted its socio-economic and environmental well-being, making disaster risk reduction a critical national priority.
“To effectively address this, disaster risk reduction must be strategically planned and executed. This strategy will provide a comprehensive framework to guide disaster risk management efforts across the country,” said the official.
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