Kenya is strengthening its crisis communication systems ahead of the anticipated El Niño rains, with the government seeking to ensure weather warnings reach Kenyans early enough for them to take action.
The move follows the inaugural meeting of the National Crisis Communication Standing Committee, chaired by Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications Stephen Isaboke.
The committee brings together government departments and agencies to improve how the government communicates during emergencies, with the anticipated October–December 2026 El Niño rains expected to provide its first major test.
Government identifies last-mile communication gap
One of the major challenges identified by the government is the gap between receiving accurate weather forecasts and ensuring the information reaches people who need it most.
Isaboke stressed that having a forecast alone is not enough to protect lives.
“An accurate and timely forecast does not save lives, but the action does.”
The government therefore wants to establish a crisis communication framework that can quickly move information from national agencies to communities on the ground.
The proposed system will cover incident classification, escalation procedures, activation of communication teams, information verification, local communication, media engagement, monitoring and public feedback.
The objective is to ensure that government agencies do not issue fragmented messages during emergencies but instead communicate through a coordinated system.
Warnings to reach communities
The government also plans to rely more heavily on local communication networks to ensure warnings reach people in remote areas.
These include chiefs, public barazas, schools, agricultural extension officers, community leaders and other structures that already have direct contact with communities.
Isaboke said weather information must be translated into language that ordinary Kenyans can understand and act upon.
“We must come down to the level of common mwananchi.”
He said warnings should clearly explain what the forecast means, where and when the threat is expected, and what people should do.
The approach is particularly important for communities that may not regularly access official websites or social media platforms.
Farmers among those at risk
The anticipated heavy rains could also have significant consequences for agriculture, particularly for farmers who have already experienced crop losses.
Patricia Ondeng’, Secretary for Public Communication, warned that farmers could face further losses if they do not receive timely information to guide their decisions.
Kenya Meteorological Department principal meteorologist Christine Maswi said the country is expecting above-normal rainfall during the October-November-December period.
She noted that the country is experiencing conditions associated with a very strong El Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, with the El Niño index reaching about 2.7 in August.
The government wants agricultural officials to use available climate information to advise farmers on suitable crops, varieties and farming practices.
This could allow farmers to make decisions before extreme weather conditions affect their farms rather than waiting until losses have already occurred.
El Niño to test new crisis communication system
The government is developing a prototype crisis communication playbook that will guide how information is handled during emergencies.
The playbook is expected to outline how warnings are verified, who communicates them, how information reaches communities and how authorities monitor whether the public has received and understood the message.
Weather information can be provided at different time scales, ranging from 24-hour forecasts to monthly outlooks.
The government also has access to river monitoring systems, including gauges along the Tana River, which can provide information that may trigger alerts when water levels rise.
Isaboke said the anticipated El Niño rains will provide an important practical test for the new system.
The initiative follows Cabinet approval of the National Communication Policy, which provides the broader framework for strengthening government communication.
“This is not a coincidence. The policy gives us the framework; El Niño gives us the first real test,” Isaboke said.
The government plans to consult stakeholders before finalising the crisis communication playbook.
The wider goal is to ensure that Kenyans receive warnings early enough, understand what those warnings mean and know what action to take.
As the country prepares for the October–December rains, the success of the initiative will ultimately depend not only on the accuracy of weather forecasts but on how effectively that information moves from government agencies to households, farmers and communities.
As Isaboke put it, “What we owe Kenyans now is the follow-through—clear warnings, clear instructions, and a government that speaks with one voice.”
