• Disasters have been largely uncoordinated resulting in more deaths.
• Inconsistencies in share of rations extended to survivors also remain a concern.
Image: MARYANN CHAI
The Treasury has laid the ground for rolling out a disaster management fund with a capital base of Sh3 billion.
Cash for the Standing Disaster Management Fund will be appropriated by Parliament starting 2021-22 financial year.
Treasury CS Ukur Yatani said the kitty would help the government mobilise resources towards efficient and effective disaster management.
He said, in draft regulations establishing the fund, that the kitty shall not apply to mitigating drought-related disasters.
It will facilitate disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery as well as provide a common basket for disaster funding.
The fund is expected to provide capacity, technical expertise and establish effective early warning systems for disaster management.
Yatani seeks an amount not exceeding 60 per cent of the fund to go into disaster response and mitigation.
No more than 20 per cent would go to disaster preparedness, while an amount not exceeding 17 per cent would be spent on disaster recovery.
Over time, the CS has lamented that frameworks for responding to disasters in the country are fragmented across several laws.
Yatani said this has hampered the ability by the government to respond to disasters more effectively. “The regulations would facilitate effective and efficient response to disasters in a more coordinated manner,” the Cabinet Secretary said.
The fund would be run by a board headed by a non-executive chairperson, appointed by the President.
Other proposed members include the principal secretaries for devolution, Treasury, Agriculture, Housing and Environment.
Also on the board will be a nominee by the chairman of the Council of Governors and three persons nominated by the Cabinet Secretary responsible for disaster management.
The board would provide oversight on administration and management, formulate policies, review revenue and expenditure estimates, approve opening of bank accounts and mobilise resources.
The team will also set the trigger threshold for disaster response and develop criteria for funding arrangements with third parties.
Hefty punishment awaits any person who misappropriates any funds or assets, or assists or causes any person to misappropriate or apply for funds contrary to the law.
“Such a person commits an offence and shall, upon conviction, be liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five years or to a fine not exceeding Sh10 million or both,” the regulations read.
“The court may order for the recovery of the monies or assets acquired as a result of the commission of the offence thereof.”
Terror attacks, floods, landslides and hunger are among disasters that the country has been experiencing. There have been concerns that the response to disasters has largely been uncoordinated, resulting in more deaths.
Inconsistencies in the share of rations extended to survivors also remain a concern.
Separately, MPs are a few steps away from enacting a bill establishing a National Disaster Management Authority.
The bill sponsored by Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah is due for discussion in a committee of the whole House to pave way for a vote on it.
It seeks to assign the responsibility of disaster management to the national government and counties in respect of their jurisdictions.
The MP said there would be an opportunity for the bill, once enacted, to be used by the authority to provide for ways and means through which research on disaster management can be done.
“The issues of accountability and proper coordination of disaster management within government will be well taken care of,” he said.
“We will have an authority we can hold to account – people we can specifically hold to account for their inaction, action, or acts of commission or omission,” Ichung’wah said.