Murkomen explains the cause of deadly Marakwet East landslide
By Aloys Michael, November 2, 2025Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has attributed the devastating Elgeyo Marakwet landslides, which have so far claimed over 21 lives, to years of unchecked deforestation and unsustainable farming practices.
Speaking on Sunday, November 2, 2025, during the Special Programmes outreach to the people of Machember Village at Chesongoch Catholic Church, following a devastating mudslide in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Murkomen described the tragedy as a national catastrophe, warning that more lives could be lost if residents fail to heed government safety advisories amid the ongoing heavy rains.
“The biggest problem with this issue is deforestation, the problem of landlessness. If you go further, where people own their own land, you will find that the kinds of farming are precipitating these issues. Instead of doing millet and maize, it is better to do tea crops,” he said.
The CS is currently leading search and rescue operations in Marakwet East, where the landslides have swept away homes and displaced dozens of families.
Murkomen said the government is coming face-to-face with the devastation as rescuers race against time to find survivors and recover bodies trapped under debris.
“We are racing against time to save lives and reassure a distraught community that we share in their pain. Besides mobilising food and non-food relief, the Government has also deployed a team to offer psychosocial support to help the affected families cope with the misfortune,” the CS noted.
Govt on humanitarian aid
Murkomen said that the government, through the State Department for Special Programmes, has airlifted relief supplies to the affected areas, including 600 bags of rice, 520 bags of beans, 1,000 blankets, 300 mattresses, 30 boxes of soap, and 10 bales of sanitary towels.
He added that the Elgeyo Marakwet County Government is developing a formal framework to coordinate public and corporate donations to assist victims.
“To the many people who are making inquiries on how they can support the victims, the county government is working on a transparent framework for channeling contributions,” he said.
At the same time, in response to the ongoing floods and landslides disrupting transport in Elgeyo Marakwet County, the government has announced plans to use choppers to ferry Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination materials to affected schools.
In an X post on Sunday, November 2, 2025, the Government Spokesman, Isaac Mwaura, said preparations for the exams are complete, with all logistics put in place.
“We already have the exams secured in safe places, and for areas affected by the floods and mudslides, we will use choppers to airlift papers and officials,” the statement read in part.
Mwaura said the government would also ensure all candidates in areas hit by the mudslides are traced and enabled to sit for their exams.
“We have teams working on the ground to ensure that the exams will go on smoothly even as we intervene to assist those affected by the mudslides,” the statement read.