Back-to-Back Landslides in Elgeyo Marakwet expose Climate Crisis as Two More Die in Kibendo, Raising Death Toll

By Moraa Nyangorora

Rescue teams race against time as the Red Cross warns of rising flood risks and urges preparedness.

• Latest deaths raise the death toll to 23 in a landslide in Chesongoch, Murkutwo and Kibendo in Elgeyo Marakwet County after heavy rains.

  
  

• The Kenya Government, Red Cross and local teams are leading rescue efforts as the Kapsowar–Chesoi road remains cut off.

  
  

• Experts warn of worsening climate-linked disasters amid renewed calls for community resilience.

Elgeyo Marakwet County is reeling from a series of landslides as extreme weather tightens its grip on Kenya's highlands.

Two more people have lost their lives in a landslide in the Kibendo area, and others were injured in the latest incident. This raises the death toll to 23, days after a massive one, witnessed in Chesongoch and Murkutwo, where the Kenyan government has confirmed 21 deaths, 30 missing, and 25 following heavy overnight rains.

Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen led rescue teams by air in a multi-agency operation that has seen 19 rescued, according to police reports. He called for sustained mitigation and relocation efforts in high-risk zones.

Those on higher ground have been asked to leave as agencies coordinate relocation efforts. CS Murkomen has linked the frequent landslides to deforestation and farming in the Kerio Valley escarpments.

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Cabinet Secretary Kipchuma Murkomen urges residents in landslide prone area to vacate as govt intensifies rescue efforts.

Video courtesy EMC News

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A resident in Kapsowar explains to the Kenya News Agency Crew KNA the situation on the ground.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with the Kenyan government, Kenya Red Cross, county emergency response teams, and community volunteers searching for survivors and supporting displaced families.

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Kenya military leads rescue efforts in landslide area.

@KRC 2025

The road network damage has slowed rescue and relief efforts, according to residents, forcing relief agencies to seek alternative routes.

The Kapsowar–Chesoi road has also been cut off after flash floods washed away key sections, isolating several villages.

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Floodwaters block the Kapsowar–Chesoi road in Elgeyo Marakwet County following overnight rains.

Video footage: Courtesy KNA (Kenya News Agency), November 2025

According to a Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) advisory issued on October 23, 2025, the heavy rainfall is expected to continue in parts of the Rift Valley, Western, and Coastal regions.

“Residents in all the mentioned areas are advised to be on the lookout for potential floods and landslides. Flood waters may appear in places where it has not rained heavily, especially downstream,”

KMD Acting Director Kennedy Thiong’o.

Source: The Star, October 23 2025

The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) confirmed that it has dispatched emergency teams to the affected area.

“Our disaster response teams are on the ground in Elgeyo Marakwet assisting with search and rescue, first aid, and evacuation,”

Kenya Red Cross Society on its official X account

Courtesy Kenya News Agency KNA

The Red Cross has also launched an appeal to support families affected by the continuing heavy rains across the country. These include food, temporary shelter, and medical aid for survivors.

Climate Change

Experts have consistently linked the rise in flash floods and landslides to deforestation, unplanned hillside settlements, and changing rainfall patterns driven by climate change.

The National Disaster Operations Centre has urged counties to integrate early warning data into their planning and public safety messages.

Community-led initiatives — such as tree-planting drives, soil conservation, and local early warning broadcasts through community radio — are proving effective in reducing vulnerability in flood-prone areas like Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot.

“We must strengthen community preparedness and ensure early warnings reach every household,”

KRCS Secretary General Dr. Asha Mohamed, in an earlier disaster preparedness briefing  Source: Kenya Red Cross, Disaster Response Update 2025

Kenya braces for more rain, with the emphasis now shifting from post-disaster recovery to building resilience before the next storm — through climate-smart planning, sustainable land use, and stronger local information systems.

KENYA RED CROSS APPEAL

The Kenya Red Cross Society has launched an emergency appeal to assist families affected by floods and landslides across Elgeyo Marakwet and neighbouring counties.

The agency also urges residents to heed meteorological alerts, clear drainage channels, and collaborate with local early warning networks to prevent further loss of life.

SIDE BAR- ABOUT KAPSOWAR & TRENDS

Kapsowar is a hilly town in Elgeyo Marakwet County, about 60km from Iten. It sits on steep terrain where farming and livestock keeping are the mainstay. It boasts a beautiful landscape, but one that is fragile and prone to landslides during heavy rains.

In May this year, deep ground cracks and earth fissures were reported along escarpments (Keiyo South), an indication that the terrain is highly susceptible to landslides.

The County's 2023-2027 Climate Change Action Plan acknowledges that landslides are frequent in the area and lists the 2020 landslide that claimed 20 lives and major infrastructure losses as a reference point.

KAPSOWAR- TOWN IN ELGEYO MARAKWET

Located on the western escarpment of the Elgeyo Highlands-60km northeast of Iten-120km from Eldoret

The Kapsowar-Chesoi Road connects several remote villages in the Marakwet East Area. This road is often affected by heavy rains and landslides due to steep terrain

Kapsowar hosts the Kapsowar Mission hospital-one of the oldest mission hospitals in the region,and several schools too.

The area is hilly, green and scenic

Agriculture is the mainstay of communities in Kapsowar

Fact Box data Courtesy AI

Kenya’s Innovators Adapting to Floods, Drought and Disease

By Moraa Nyangorora

Communities turning climate shock into health solutions in the wake of a crisis; relief agency launches over Kshs2 billion appeal.

Kenya is grappling with the twin crises of floods and drought, threatening over 2.1 million people.

The Kenya Meteorological Department issued a nationwide advisory warning of intense rainfall, strong winds, and possible landslides in several counties.

The warning highlights the need for heightened disaster preparedness as rivers overflow and infrastructure strains under persistent downpours.

In response, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched a KShs 2.42 billion appeal for emergency funds to support flood-affected communities.

It warns of a complex humanitarian and health emergency.

The IFRC notes that thousands have already been displaced, with early assessments showing destruction of homes, farmlands, and local roads.

“The situation requires urgent international support to scale up relief operations and strengthen local preparedness capacities,” the IFRC said in its statement.

The 15 million Swiss Francs appeal targets to assist over 300,000 people across health, nutrition, shelter, water and livelihoods.

The appeal is in coordination with government authorities in Kenya and humanitarian partners.

It estimates that about 1.8 million people need urgent food assistance, with the numbers projected to rise to 2.1 million by early next year.

Baringo, Mandera, Marsabit and Turkana have the highest number of the most vulnerable, with cases of acute malnutrition reported.

Other parts of Kenya, Narok, Southwestern Kenya, have confirmed deaths from waterborne diseases like cholera.

"A united response is critical. Urgent and coordinated action from government, humanitarian partners, and the private sector is required to ensure no Kenyan goes hungry. Collective efforts today will save lives and enable communities to recover and rebuild for a more resilient future".

IFRC

Red Cross officials on the frontline with medics attending to suspected cholera cases in Narok

© Kenya Red Cross Society / IFRC

There is a resurgence of Cholera outbreak reported in Narok, South Western Kenya; 55 cases suspected, 6 confirmed, 5 deaths recorded.

The arid and semi-arid areas of Kenya, and the Rift Valley, are experiencing loss of livestock from zoonotic diseases.

A Kenya Red Cross volunteer assists residents to safety during floods in Garissa County. The response includes early warning alerts and evacuation support.

© Kenya Red Cross Society / IFRC

In Garissa County, pastoralists, still reeling from livestock losses in the recent prolonged drought, are now experiencing more losses from the flash floods.

Journalist Osman Ahmed Maalim of KBC reports that in Shimirey village, the heavy rains have claimed goats, leaving livestock farmers frustrated.

KBC's journalist Osman Ahmed Maalim captures pictures of the prevailing situation in Shimirey village in Garissa- from the recent drought to floods. Weather extremes threaten livelihoods.

Communities Building Resilience

Communities across the country are quietly building resilience through early warning systems, climate-smart water solutions, and public health interventions.

In Garissa, where floods have repeatedly displaced families, local disaster committees are collaborating to map flood-prone zones and deliver early alerts via mobile messaging.

This helps communities move to safer ground before rivers overflow.

Further away in Turkana and Mandera, women’s cooperatives supported by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) have introduced solar-powered boreholes and water purification kiosks.

These initiatives provide clean water during droughts, reducing disease outbreaks linked to unsafe water sources.

Around the lake basin, the WeTu initiative is providing a large-scale model of how technology and clean energy can improve both water access and community health.

The social enterprise operates 14 solar-powered hubs and water ATMs across four counties, supplying safe water and electricity to tens of thousands of residents.

The project has installed more than 300 kilowatts of solar capacity and serves over 50,000 people with affordable, clean water and lighting.

The integration of renewable energy with water safety is improving health resilience in climate-affected regions.

CLIMATE SMART HEALTH SYSTEMS

The Ministry of Health, in its climate and health strategy, spells out initiatives that are integrating climate and health surveillance.

This enables hospitals to anticipate malaria and cholera spikes tied to rainfall and temperature changes.

Community radio stations like Vox Radio, formerly Amani Radio in Tana River, are providing critical information related to weather updates and hygiene messages in local languages.

This is, helping prevent disease outbreaks. These localised communication efforts ensure that early warnings reach even remote communities, turning information into a powerful resilience tool.

Solutions in Motion: Local Innovations Reducing Climate-Health Risks

Region	Solution	Impact
Garissa	SMS flood alert system	Early evacuation, reduced fatalities
Turkana	Solar-powered boreholes	Clean water access for 1,500 households
Mandera	Women-led water kiosks	Lower incidence of diarrhea diseases
Lake Victoria region	WeTu solar water hubs	Safe water for 50,000+ residents
Tana River	Community radio alerts	Faster public health response

Connecting Local Action To Global Agenda

Kenya’s efforts mirror a wider continental push under the African Health Adaptation Strategy and discussions leading to COP30 in Brazil, where climate-health resilience is a key focus.

The IFRC emphasises that protecting health systems from climate impacts, requires investment in local preparedness, community-led adaptation, and sustained humanitarian support.

Kenya’s growing network of community responders, innovators, and social enterprises like WeTu show that solutions are already emerging on the frontlines, what remains is to scale and sustain them.

What's Working; At A Glance

Community-based early warning systems save lives

Solar-powered hubs and boreholes improve water access

Health facilities using climate data for disease surveillance

Local media and digital tools driving behavioural change

Seeds of Resilience: Kenya’s Farmers Growing Hope in a Changing Climate

Farmers in Kenya are adapting to the growing harsh weather and unpredictable patterns by embracing drought-tolerant crops. Sorghum, millet, cassava, and African leafy vegetables are returning to tables as staple foods in households across the country.

By Moraa Nyangorora

The recently held Trade Fair in Nairobi was a demonstration of the resilience of the Kenyan farmer in protecting indigenous seeds.

Farmers showcased drought-tolerant sorghum, pest-resistant cowpeas, and heritage vegetables like amaranth — crops capable of surviving unpredictable weather while nourishing families.

In partnership with the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organisation KALRO, communities are reviving indigenous seed banks, exchanging local varieties, and embracing their right to choose what to plant.

Farmers receive critical farming information and weather forecasts in real time, sparking a rise in the adoption of climate-smart practices like water harvesting, composting, intercropping and soil regeneration to nourish the populace.

KALRO representative at the Trade Fair said through the Kenya digital agriculture platform, farmers are able to receive weather forecasts, agricultural insights, agronomic advice and market information.

“We are not just growing food — we are growing the future.”- KALRO

Beneath the vibrant displays at the Trade Fair lies a global conversation- one about food security, seed sovereignty and the fight to keep farming viable as the planet warms.

“If we lose control over our seeds, we lose control over our food — and ultimately, our future.”— Dr. Vandana Shiva, Environmental Activist and Founder of Navdanya, India

Across the world, food systems are under pressure. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and prolonged droughts are disrupting harvests from the Horn of Africa to the American Midwest.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warns that climate change could cut global crop yields by up to 30% by 2050 if adaptation doesn’t accelerate.

For regions like Kenya — where agriculture sustains millions — the stakes couldn’t be higher.

THE SEED DEBATE

Seed Sovereignty Shaping Food Security Worldwide Power vs. Autonomy: Over 60% of the global seed trade is controlled by just four multinational corporations, limiting farmers’ rights to save and exchange seeds — especially in developing regions where smallholder farming sustains livelihoods. Biodiversity at Risk: The shift toward uniform, commercial seed varieties has caused a loss of up to 75% of global crop diversity over the past century. Communities across Asia, Africa, and Latin America are reviving indigenous seeds to restore ecological balance and resilience against pests and drought. Policy and Resistance: From India’s Navdanya to Latin America’s Red de Semillas, farmer-led campaigns are challenging restrictive seed laws. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants (UNDROP) and the FAO Global Plan of Action on Plant Genetic Resources reinforce farmers’ rights to seeds as essential to food security. Climate and Viability: With the IPCC warning of frequent droughts and failed harvests, seed sovereignty is increasingly viewed as a climate justice issue. Locally adapted, diverse seeds offer flexibility and resilience — making them central to sustainable farming futures.

In protecting its seed, empowering smallholder farmers, and promoting sustainable practices, Kenya is contributing to a global blueprint for food sovereignty and climate resilience. It is defining its future of farming in a warming planet.