Turkana County has concluded a review of its Disaster Management Policy to enhance preparedness, response, and recovery efforts against potential disaster risks.
The county-led review, supported by the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), included input from the national government and key players in disaster management.
The draft policy come into force in the year 2020 to strengthen implementation of the County Disaster Management Act of 2016.
In addition to enhancing effectiveness of the policy in serving it’s intended purpose, the review also sought to align it with the Turkana County Disaster Management Act of 2016.
Speaking during the closure of a two-day meeting to conduct the review, Turkana County Commissioner Julius Kavita expressed hope that the review had identified existing gaps in the current policy and proposed corrective measures.
Commissioner Kavita emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts between all players in the disaster management sector for better outcomes during disaster risk response.
He commended the county for using the review to strengthen its capacity, calling the policy a crucial governance tool for better disaster risk management.
Chief Officer for Administration and Disaster Management, David Maraka, stated that the county was taking a proactive approach to ensure that the existing policy serves its intended purpose effectively.
He highlighted the significant benefits gained from the expertise and experience of the KRCS during the review process and promised to enhance collaboration with the organization in implementing the policy moving forward.
It is expected that the draft policy will later be forwarded to the county Assembly for approval and adoption as a county document.
The review meeting was attended by the county disaster team, sub county Administrators and National government Administration team
IAN BYRON