The President has predicted that El nino threat is over and it will not occur as it was earlier predicted by the Kenya Meteorological Department. He said that the department has now staled it down to short rains that will be experienced in the October-November-December season. While speaking to a church in Dagorreti on Sunday, according to him the downscaling is a relief to farmers all around the country since devastating impacts that would be caused by it will not be experienced.
“The other day you heard that there will be an El nino to be experienced in the country, but who is God, the same people have said that there will just be normal rains. Is that not God?” the president said.
An earlier photo of Kisumu floods. (simamia.com)
Even with the heavy rainfalls expected to be experienced, we have prepared for it. He promised that the government will put in more efforts to make sure that the food security for the country is safe and guaranteed.
“The farmers are ready and will give a good harvest so that we can have enough food come January. The best way to address lack of food is not by protests. If there has to be protests, ten it has to be on the farms,” he added.
He recapped the prayers held at Nyayo stadium on February 14, 2023, that have been answered because since then rains have been experienced.
“We pray for rain; we pray that you shall open the heavens for us so that you can have plenty and so that our farms can produce. So that we can have food in plenty and so that the people of Kenya can rejoice. Father, we commit our children; we call our children, Heavenly Father, from drugs, we call them to come back home. We call our children from alcoholism; we claim back the future of our nation,” he prayed.
He also criticized the people who saw the prayers held as joke and waste of time. “There are those who criticized us when we prayed for rains at Nyayo stadium. They said a whole president is praying for rain. Now see, we have more rains than we have had in four years, that is God’s doing,” Ruto said.
The Kenya Meteorological Department had earlier warned farmers to take caution on the rains so that their produce would not be destroyed by the rains. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development earlier September had also given a report that there was a possibility that El nino would be experienced in the region but would extend to next year.
Kenyans on social media did not cease to rumble about the funds that were set aside for the same. Many kept asking where the funds would go to considered that billions were set for the preparedness of it. The Council of Governors, through Governor Ann Waiguru, said counties would require 15 billion shillings in food for the displaced households. Reacting to the president’s announcement, Kenyans expressed their fear that the money set aside for El Nino being misappropriated and will want to be told what exactly the plan about the money is.