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Winnie Odinga warns of El Niño floods, questions govt preparedness
19th September, 2026 04:23 PM
East African Legislative Assembly Member of Parliament Winnie Odinga has questioned the government’s preparedness for El Niño, saying authorities should act before floods begin instead of waiting for the crisis to happen.
In a statement shared on Saturday, September 19, 2026, Winnie Odinga said the expected rains are known in advance and questioned why preparations should only begin after flooding starts. She said democracy and governance should involve planning for future challenges instead of responding after problems have already affected people.
“We know the rain is coming. So why do we wait for the floods to start preparing?” Winnie Odinga said while echoing her speech at the University of Nairobi for the International Day of Democracy on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
She said El Niño should not be treated as an unexpected weather event because its effects on communities can be severe. Odinga said floods can affect schools, forcing children to walk through water as they try to attend classes and continue with their studies.
“When El Niño arrives, we all know it is coming; who here does not know El Niño is coming?” Odinga said.
She explained that children affected by floods may arrive at school with soaked feet and wet bags while still being expected to learn and compete with other children around the world. She said the effects can go beyond schools and affect other parts of daily life.
Effects of El Niño floods
Odinga said flooding can also lead to overflowing sewage and contaminated water, creating conditions that can affect communities. She also mentioned mosquitoes and skin infections among the problems that can come with the situation.
“It is not an abstract weather event. It means flooded schools, and children walking through water to get to class. They sit in classrooms, feet are soaked. Their bags are wet, they are drenched and told to learn and told to compete with the rest of the world,” Odinga said.
She said the effects of flooding can also destroy people’s livelihoods, leaving families and communities dealing with losses. Odinga argued that preparation should focus on the needs of people before the situation becomes a crisis.
“It means overflowing sewage, contaminated water, mosquitoes, skin infections. It means an entire livelihood being destroyed,” Odinga said.
Odinga said anticipatory governance means identifying the needs of people before emergencies happen. She said leaders should use available information about weather conditions to prepare communities ahead of the expected rains.
“So anticipatory governance is asking what the people need before it becomes a crisis. It means looking at the weather before the storm,” Odinga said.
She also criticised the way the situation was being handled, saying the approach needed to change. Odinga said the focus should be on preparing for the effects of El Niño before the rains and floods affect communities.
