MSSP National Policy for Disaster Management (draft-2009)

Kenya’s disaster profile is dominated by droughts, fire, floods, terrorism, technological accidents, diseases and epidemics that disrupt people’s livelihoods, destroy the infrastructure, divert planned use of resources, interrupt economic activities and retard development. In the pursuit of reducing vulnerabilities to risks, the Government has formulated this National Policy on Disaster Management to institutionalise mechanisms for addressing disasters. Recent disaster events, the successive Reports of the Inter-governmental Panel Climate Change (IPCC), the recent Climate Change Conference (Nairobi , Nov. 2006), and a recent comprehensive environmental reconnaissance survey over the whole country have all stressed the central role of Climate Change in any sustainable planned and integrated National Strategy for Disaster Management.

The policy emphasizes preparedness on the part of the Government, communities and other stakeholders in Disaster Risk Reduction activities. In this regard, the policy aims at the establishment and strengthening of Disaster Management institutions, partnerships, networking and main streaming Disaster Risk Reduction in the development process so as to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable groups to cope with potential disasters. Ministry of State for Special Programmes in the Office of President will coordinate Disaster Risk Reduction initiatives within a unified policy framework in a proactive manner at all levels.

Disaster Risk Management encompasses a full continuum from preparedness, relief and rehabilitation, mitigation and prevention. The Policy aims to increase and sustain resilience of vulnerable communities to hazards through diversification of their livelihoods and coping mechanisms. This entails a shift from the short term relief responses to development. The Policy will go a long way in preserving life and minimising suffering by providing sufficient and timely early warning information on potential hazards that may result to disasters. It will also aim at alleviating suffering by providing timely and appropriate response mechanisms for disaster victims.

The preparation of this Policy Paper has benefited from invaluable contribution from experts in various Ministries and organizations and it is hoped that the full implementation of this Policy will contribute immensely to disaster risk reduction, effective disaster preparedness, response, recovery and reconstruction as well as contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development in the country, particularly among those communities that have been identified as highly vulnerable to disaster risk, loss of life and livelihoods.

HON DR. NAOMI SHAABAN, EGH, MP
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SPECIAL PROGRAMMES