Fire on the mountain, smoke in our eyes
Fire on the mountain, smoke in our eyes
24 March 2012
published by www.theeastafrican.co.ke
Kenya– The fires raging in the Mt Kenya and Aberdare forests are another reminder that Kenya needs a policy on disaster preparedness.
Mt Kenya and the Aberdares forest ranges are two of the countrys most important water towers, making this a national disaster.
The military personnel fighting the fires are poorly equipped to deal with the multiple fires that have destroyed over 80 square kilometres of the forest grassland and moorlands.
Bomb blasts, floods, famine, road accidents, collapsing buildings and now fires.
We seem to be firefighting literally, without taking into account that some incidents are bound to be repeated.
Will Kenyans ever have a comprehensive disaster policy capable of rapid and effective response?
Kenya seems to be dealing with disasters on a case-by-case basis.
And once one disaster is solved, the story ends there without using what happened as a leaning point.
The country has in the past suffered a number of catastrophes and the response has always come under public criticism.
Lack of a preparedness, response and recovery strategy when disasters occur has forced Kenya to rely on experts from Israel and other European nations.
Can the Kenyan government assure its citizens of safety in the face of unpredictable natural disaster?
There is a Disaster Risk Reduction Department at the Ministry of Special Programmes but Kenyans rarely hear of what they do.
Are they adequately equipped? If not, why dont they make a noise about it?
It is shameful to rely on the Kenya Red Cross Society and foreign governments whenever disaster strikes in a country where 30 per cent of its budget is lost through corruption.
Kenya has five earthquake monitoring stations located in Magadi, Chiromo, Langata, Meru and Kilimambogo.
