Kenya has pledged to make anticipatory action a core function of national and county disaster management, with the government committing to strengthen early warning systems, establish predictable financing and ensure resources reach vulnerable communities before disasters strike.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the government will integrate anticipatory action into disaster risk governance, supported by legislation, contingency budgets and coordinated response mechanisms.
Speaking in Mombasa on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, during the opening of the Second Eastern Africa Dialogue Platform on Anticipatory Action, Murkomen said the country was shifting from reactive disaster response to a system that prepares communities and institutions before emergencies occur.
“Kenya will make anticipatory action a non-negotiable core function of national and county disaster risk governance,” Murkomen said.
He added that the government would fully operationalise the Disaster Risk Management Act, 2026, to establish clear responsibilities, coordination arrangements and standard operating procedures for responding to emerging threats.
The three-day regional dialogue, convened by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), brings together government representatives, humanitarian organisations, development partners, researchers and other stakeholders to strengthen preparedness across Eastern Africa.
Murkomen said disasters were becoming more frequent, severe and unpredictable due to climate change, placing increasing pressure on governments and communities.
He cited estimates that 48.5 million people across the region needed humanitarian assistance as of December 2025, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing public institutions.
“Disaster management can no longer be treated as an isolated, purely reactive humanitarian duty,” he said, adding that disaster risk reduction must be integrated into both short-term and long-term national planning.
The Cabinet Secretary noted that drought, floods, and climate-related displacement often affect several countries at once, making regional coordination essential.
He said Kenya's preparedness agenda is anchored in the Disaster Risk Management Act, 2026; the Disaster Risk Financing Strategy for 2026 to 2030; the Kenya Anticipatory Action Roadmap for 2024 to 2029; and the National Framework for Climate Services.
Murkomen also warned that climate shocks and conflict could reinforce each other by destroying livelihoods, intensifying competition for resources and increasing displacement.
“Anticipatory action is therefore not simply a technical intervention, but a vital instrument of public safety, national security, and responsible governance,” he said.
He urged national and county governments to strengthen cooperation, noting that counties were central to local preparedness, risk mapping and the implementation of early interventions.
The government is also operationalising the Early Warnings for All initiative to connect forecasts and risk information directly to preparedness measures.
Murkomen said warnings must reach everyone in time, in a form they can understand and act on, including women, children, older persons, and people with disabilities.
He added that Kenya was integrating indigenous knowledge with scientific forecasting to strengthen public trust and ensure information reached communities at risk.
The government also plans to integrate anticipatory financing into national contingency budgets and social protection systems so vulnerable households receive support before a crisis escalates.
“Anticipatory action cannot scale if financing arrives only after destruction has occurred,” Murkomen said.
He called on development partners, international financial institutions, and the private sector to provide predictable, flexible financing that strengthens existing government systems rather than creating parallel structures.
IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu said the region needed to close the gap between receiving early warnings and taking practical action to prevent losses.
“We know, too often, that the warning comes before the disaster, but the resources arrive after the damage. That is the gap we have come here to close,” Gebeyehu said.
He noted that Eastern Africa faces interconnected risks from climate shocks, conflict, economic pressures and public health emergencies that continue to strain communities and institutions.
Gebeyehu said anticipatory action would deliver meaningful results only if it was properly financed, institutionalised, and implemented.
“A forecast alone does not protect a family, community or even a country. The difference is made when information leads to a decision, the decision releases resources, and those resources reach communities before the impact,” he said.
He added that investing in preparedness could protect assets, preserve livelihoods, reduce humanitarian needs and limit the costs of recovery.