Climate Change28 July 2026 - 10:20

CS Ruku pledges stronger government–Red Cross partnership to boost climate resilience

CS Ruku acknowledged the critical role played by the Kenya Red Cross Society as an auxiliary to the government

by STAR REPORTER

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Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Geoffrey Ruku has committed to deepening cooperation between the government, through his ministry, and the Kenya Red Cross Society as a key partner in advancing community resilience and climate adaptation across Kenya.

The commitment comes as parts of the country begin experiencing crop failure and emerging drought conditions, even as the Kenya Meteorological Department has forecast above-normal El Niño rains later this year, highlighting the growing impact of climate change and the need for stronger disaster preparedness.

Speaking during a meeting with International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Secretary General Jagan Chapagain and Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary General Idris Ahmed at his Harambee House office, Ruku said the government had activated all relevant agencies to prepare for the anticipated weather patterns and ensure vulnerable Kenyans are protected through coordinated interventions.

He said the government is implementing both short-term and long-term measures to cushion communities from the effects of climate change.

These include strengthening early warning systems, emergency response planning, pre-positioning relief supplies, promoting climate-smart agriculture, improving water resource management and investing in community resilience programmes.

"Kenya continues to experience recurring climate-related emergencies ranging from droughts and food insecurity to floods and other extreme weather events. We must strengthen collaboration between government institutions, humanitarian organisations, development partners and communities to ensure we are adequately prepared and able to respond effectively," Ruku said.

The Cabinet Secretary acknowledged the critical role played by the Kenya Red Cross Society as an auxiliary to the government in responding to drought, floods, road accidents, fires and other emergencies affecting vulnerable communities across the country.

He noted that the organisation has been instrumental in supporting government-led humanitarian interventions, particularly during recent drought response operations.

During the meeting, Chapagain observed that the changing global humanitarian financing landscape requires governments and partners to move beyond responding to disasters after they occur and instead invest in preparedness and resilience to reduce future humanitarian needs.

He said the Kenya Red Cross Society, through its nationwide volunteer network and presence in some of the country's most remote areas, remains well placed to complement government efforts by delivering timely assistance while strengthening local capacity to respond to disasters.

The leaders also discussed opportunities for innovative financing through climate funds, development banks and other international financing mechanisms to support climate adaptation initiatives and strengthen Kenya's resilience to future climate shocks.

The meeting reaffirmed the long-standing partnership between the Government of Kenya, the Kenya Red Cross Society and the IFRC, with all parties committing to deepen collaboration in disaster preparedness, humanitarian response and climate adaptation to better protect lives and livelihoods as climate-related disasters become more frequent and severe.