Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), the Kenya Red Cross, and the Bungoma County government have partnered to undertake intensive research on climate change mitigation.

Bungoma County Climate Change Director Jane Mukonambi said that the partnership seeks to mitigate the negative impact that climate change has had on both human and animal lives globally.

Speaking in Bungoma on Monday during a climate change meeting, Mukonambi said Bungoma has so far come up with the county climate change policy, the County finance policy, and the climate change funds act that would foresee the funding aspect.

Mukonambi noted that Bungoma County Government has brought on board MMUST and the Red Cross to help in undertaking research on climate change issues that will give a roadmap to a lasting solution.

The Director noted that the County has formed climate change planning committees in all 45 wards in Bungoma to help disseminate information on climate change to the grassroots.

She said the county has also constituted a climate change steering committee headed by the governor to oversee the funding modalities for climate change activities in the county.

The climate expert said that the research would be done at the University level and would also give other researchers the opportunity to help.

She said that the county has prepared a County climate change action plan for 2023-2027 that captures all the actions that should be taken by the key players, adding that the plan will be launched soon.

‘The launch will allow every partner to understand more about what should be done to mitigate climate change,’ she said.

Prof. Josephine Ngaira, a climatology scientist, said that 70% of global disasters are caused by climate change, citing landslides, diseases, and droughts as the aftermath.

‘Recently, we have had food insecurity in the Country as a result of climate change,’ she said, adding that the majority of Kenyans lived below the poverty line.

Bungoma County Red Cross Chairman Dr. Ferdinand Nabiswa said that there is an upsurge of jiggers in the region, affirming that it is a clear indication of climate change.

Nabiswa added that, according to a recent meteorological report, there are going to be El Nino rains in October, calling for awareness creation in the community.

He said that the Red Cross is running a project called Climate Change and Inclusivity that covers three sub-counties: Bungoma South, Cheptais, and Kapsokwony.

Source: Kenya News Agency