President William Ruto has said the country will not experience El Niño rains as the Kenya Meteorological Department had predicted.
Speaking in Dagoretti South during a church service, the head of state said the department had scaled down the El Niño to heavy rains.
“There was news that El Niño was coming, which would be destructive but God is great. They have now said El Niño will not be there but just heavy rains which will not be destructive. We thank God,” he said.
Ruto said the government is planning to take advantage of the expected rains to increase food production.
“We will provide inputs to farmers again so that we can have another harvest in January next year,” he said.
The Kenya Meteorological Department had issued a warning about heavy rains expected this year from September to January 2024.
In response to the forecast, counties were undertaking proactive measures for disaster preparedness, given the previous devastation.
Some of the regions that had expected to be significantly affected included Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Baringo, Uasin Gishu, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Kericho, Bungoma, Kakamega, Busia, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Vihiga, Laikipia, Nakuru, and Narok.
On Sunday, Ruto said that this year’s harvest will be the best in four seasons. He said the country has already harvested 44 million bags of maize and figure is projected to go up.
“Our intention for the country to never go back where we were when 2kg of maize flour was selling at Sh230. We will never go back there again. We should have enough food to feed the country,” he added.
“Going forward, we have a comprehensive plan on food production so that Kenya never goes back to days when people faced hunger.”
Ruto has assured that Kenya is on the path to transformation even with bottlenecks and heavy criticism from the opposition.
The head of state said Kenyans should not doubt him when he pledges to turn around the fortunes of the country.
“You should not have any doubts, the country will be transformed. Opposition leaders will talk every now and then but very soon they will shut their mouths and they will clap for us. Not now, later,” he said.
The President said he will strive to make every Kenyan proud of their country.
“I am very happy to be the President of Kenya at a time when things are difficult. The situation we are in needs a person like me to lead when matters are hard. If it were others, Kenya would be sinking,” he said.
He reiterated that the country will be transformed under his leadership and with the support of Kenyans.
With him were Leader of Majority in the National Assembly and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungw’ah, John Kiarie (Dagoretti South), Ronald Karauri (Kasarani) and Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu).
Ruto termed his recent trip to China as highly successful. “I had a list of requests but when I got there, they told me they already knew what I wanted for Kenya and they approved them. They even offered me what I had not intended to request,” he explained.
Kenya is seeking funds to extend the standard gauge railway project to Malaba. If the bid is successful, the SGR project is expected to extend to Kampala and Kasese heading through Mpondwe near Congo.
In the negotiations and memorandum of understanding signed on Tuesday, Kenya businessmen are also looking at exporting tea, coffee and macadamia to China.
