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The Problem of Disasters in Kenya
The Problem of Disasters in Kenya
The Problem of Disasters in Kenya
DISASTERS IN KENYA
Save More Campaign Launch
Nairobi
30th May 2015
Wachira J.
Junior DRR Consultant, Rural Focus LTD
Technical Volunteer, The Save More Campaign
Emerging thinking
understanding
2.
1.
1.
2.
3.
4.
4. declaration of a state of
emergency.
Facts:
Effective disaster management should envision disasters as a continuum entailing everyday risks
to small and large disasters, depending on the scale of the loss (and generally the frequency of
the event
Example: The Continuum of water related in an urban setting (Wachira 2013, based on Satterthwaite
(2006)
Nature of event
Small Disaster
Disaster
Frequency
Everyday
Generally infrequent
Scale
Main cause of premature deaths and serious Probably significant and underestimated Can be catastrophic for specific
injuries e.g. diseases caused by contaminated/ contribution e.g. seasonal flooding and places and times, but low over
stagnant/untreated water
drought
all
e.g. heavy flash floods and
severe drought exacerbated by
climate change
2002: 150,000
pax affected
1982: 4,000
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2004:
2,000
affected
2002: 2,000
affected
Technological disasters
Are a common occurrence, in the form of factory/enterprise fires, industrial emissions, fuel tanker
accidents, accidents & derailments etc
Recent examples
i.
Changamwe Lead poisoning (Kenya Metal refinery)- 2007-2015, 3 dead, 5000 affected
(Standard Media Group 2015)
ii.
Nairobi Pipeline Fire Disaster (Mukuru-Sinai Fire): 2011, 120 people were killed in the fire
and at least 116 others were hospitalized with varying degrees of burns (Kenya Red Cross)
iii.
Molo (Sachangwan) and Kericho fuel truck fire: 2009, 131 died, 271 casualties (Open
Access Journal of Plastic Surgery, 2009)
iv.
Nakumat Downtown Fire: 2009, 46 died, property worth billions of $ and cultural values
reduced to ashes (Open Access Journal of Plastic Surgery, 2009)
Difficult to estimate, especially because of the numerous undereported events and the fact that
impact transcends financial values to touch on social and other losses on the population and
economy
But
OCHA has estimated that the GoK allocated Ksh 18 billion to drought response in 2011. World bank and
other donors channeled over US$ 125 m (ksh.10 billion) in the decade ending 2010.
A Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) for the extended 2008-2011 drought period estamates the total
damage to the Kenya Economy over this period was a staggering Ksh 968 billion (Fitsgiborn 2012)
Yet..
Investing in resilience building and early response is more cost effective with a proven actual cost per
head of 50% lower in both drought and non-drought years
Kenyas National Disaster Management Policy which provides for a comprehensive institutional and legal framework has yet to be introduced in
Parliament for enactment into law.
Mandates for DMA have been given to both the National and County Governments under schedule 4 of the CoK 2010. Some counties are already
drafting county DM act, which are likely to remain as draft till there is a national policy/legislation
Climate
Population
increase, high unemployment and urbanization leading to high risk jobs (e.g.
prostitution, illegal brewing) and settlement in marginal and precarious lands
Frequent
Increasing
Terrorism
land degradation and deforestation (e.g Mau Forest and Cherangany Hill)
Is all lost?
Constitution of Kenya 2010 though without explicit articles on DRR,
avenue through the bill of rights (e.g. to life) and access to basic
services (e.g clean adequate water in Article 43
Kenya Vision for a middle level income by 2030 provided an
opportunity for working towards eliminating/minimizing impacts of
disasters
IGAD Sanctioned EDE (Ending Drought Emergencies) support
resilience anchored interventions/thinking
Post 2015 SDG provide a paradigm shift, highlighting importance of
resilience and gravitating towards the generation of local solutions
to local problems
Sendai Framework for DRR vouches for an enhanced role for
science, and recognizes social processes and weak institutional
arrangements as drivers of risk
CMDRR approach is proving productive in DRR, through community
1.
2.
Campaign,
Campaign,
Campaign; for
3.
4.