The Department of Water Services, Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, in collaboration with the Kenya Climate Change Working Group, convened a two-day Participatory Scenario Planning (PSP) workshop in Isinya this week. The meeting aimed to review and interpret the March–April–May (MAM) rainfall forecast and strengthen preparedness for the upcoming season.
The workshop brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including county departments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as ActionAid, Christian Aid, Inuka Foundation and traditional weather forecasters. The initiative aimed to promote collaboration between scientific and indigenous climate knowledge systems to improve seasonal planning.
In a unique demonstration of indigenous forecasting, traditional forecasters slaughtered a goat and analyzed its intestines for seasonal indicators. The readings suggested that rainfall is expected during the MAM season.
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Complementing the indigenous forecast, Benson Lubang’a, County Director from the Kenya Meteorological Department, presented the scientific outlook. According to the forecast, Kajiado County is likely to experience two distinct rainfall patterns: near average to above average rainfall in some areas and near average to below average rainfall in others. Seasonal temperatures are projected to range between 25°C and 30°C.
Specifically, Kajiado North and the upper parts of Kajiado West are expected to receive near average to above average rainfall, while Kajiado East, Kajiado Central, Kajiado South, and the lower parts of Kajiado West are likely to record near average to below average rainfall.
The workshop also focused on sharing the forecast information with community representatives and sector stakeholders to support timely planning, preparedness and climate-informed decision-making.
The Department of Water Services, Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change urged residents and partners to use the seasonal outlook to guide local actions, reduce risks, and ensure communities are prepared for the rainy season.
By Benedict Aoya
