Ruku calls for urgent landscape restoration following Elgeyo Marakwet mudslide
By Nancy Marende, November 10, 2025Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Programmes CS Geoffrey Ruku has called for urgent landscape restoration across Kenya following the deadly mudslide in Elgeyo Marakwet County that claimed 38 lives.
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Speaking during an interview at a local TV station on Monday, November 10, 2025, he emphasised that environmental degradation and climate change have intensified the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters.
Ruku revealed that the government had anticipated heavy rains and potential landslides in several regions, including the Western Rift Valley, Murang’a, and parts of Central Kenya, following early warnings from the Meteorological Department.
“We are not caught flat-footed,” he said. “About four weeks ago, we held a consultative meeting with County Commissioners, Regional Commissioners, the Meteorological Department, and the National Drought Management Authority at the Kenya School of Government. We discussed the ongoing rains, drought in ASAL areas, and disaster preparedness.”
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Ruku noted that while the government had taken proactive steps by alerting local authorities through the National Disaster Coordination Centre, natural disasters remain difficult to predict with precision.
“The Met Department clearly identified areas expected to experience high and low rainfall, and messages were passed to counties at risk of mudslides and flooding,” he explained.
The CS further linked the settlement patterns in Elgeyo Marakwet to historical insecurity, saying many residents prefer living on the escarpments rather than the lowlands, which are perceived as less safe.
“People don’t live in the lowlands of the valley because of past insecurity. The escarpment is considered more secure, but it is also more prone to disasters like mudslides,” he said.
Ruku underscored the need for comprehensive landscape restoration and long-term climate adaptation measures to mitigate future risks.
“We need serious landscape restoration as a matter of urgency. What we are witnessing are the real effects of climate change, and we must act decisively to protect lives, livelihoods, and the environment,” he added.
This comes a few days after the CS reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting families affected by disasters, including those impacted by the recent landslide in Chesongoch, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Speaking during a visit to the affected families on November 8, 2025, where he joined First Lady Rachel Ruto and other senior government officials, CS Ruku said the government, through the State Department for Special Programmes, will continue to stand with Kenyans affected by natural calamities across the country.
“The people of Marakwet and others affected by disasters across the country must feel that the Government of Kenya, led by President William Ruto, cares for them,” Ruku said.