Kenya Met Boss David Gikungu Addresses Ruto Miscommunication Over El Nino.

Kenya Meteorological Department Director David Gikungu has revealed that he has yet to identify the official who fed erroneous information to President William Ruto regarding El Nino rains.

In an interview, Gikungu insisted that he had consistently maintained that the country will experience El Nino rains, despite President William Ruto assuring Kenyans that would no longer be the case.

“I hope one day I will find out the truth. The official communication we have been giving has not suggested an increase or decline or anything that would withdraw the El Nino phenomenon.

“People have associated El Nino with rainfall almost to the extent of calling rainfall El Nino which is not the case,” he clarified.

During the interview, the director further extended his apology to the Head of State insisting that El Nino effects will still be felt until April 2024.So far, several regions across the country have been experiencing intense rainfall with Gikungu noting that regions that are yet to experience heavy rains will be subjected to heavy downpours in due course.

“As the head of the department, I needed to state that the forecast has not changed. I needed to state that I am sorry about that miscommunication. The indication is that we are all in an El Nino season that lasts up to April 2024,” he added.

The miscommunication originated from Ruto’s October 22 speech in which he emphatically stated that he had been informed by Kenya Met that the country will not experience El Nino rains.Crediting the department at the time, the Head of State confirmed that the forecast was good for the country’s agricultural productivity.

“You see the department has now said there will be no El-Nino, we will only have significant rains, which is even better for us to get to our farms and produce more,” Ruto said.

“There are those who criticised 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.”

The phenomenon has, however, only intensified ever since, with Coastal counties receiving record rainfall that led to widespread damage. At least 130 people have lost their lives in Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania since the rainfall began.

A week ago, the fallout came to a head when Gikungu apologised over the miscommunication after being summoned by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

“I want to point out that we have El Nino in this short rainy season. We do apologise for the lack of communication or miscommunication because that was a big mistake.,” he categorically stated at the time.

During the interview, Gikungu further indicated that Nairobi and Kitui were among the highlands earmarked for intense rainfall.

“The forecast shows that the areas around Kitui will receive heavy rainfall this week, extremely high by Thursday and Friday. Nairobi by proximity may receive a share of the enhanced rainfall this week,” he reiterated.

Article By Suzy Nyongesa.