Surveyors Want Government to Enhance Efforts in Disaster Management

By Mwakwaya Raymond

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

The Institution of Surveyors of Kenya (ISK) has raised a red flag on the governments preparedness and how it handles disasters in the country whenever tragedies of any magnitude hits the nation.

The ISK top brass has noted that several families loose their loved ones, displaced and rendered homeless whenever disasters hit their areas and called on the government to immediately look for a lasting solution.

As the Institute joined other Kenyans to condole with the families that lost their loved ones in the recent landslide that occurred in Elgeyo Marakwet, it has emphasized on the need to have coordinated national action on disaster preparedness and sustainable land management.

According to Eric Nyadimo, MISK, LS(K), President of the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya, the tragedy in Elgeyo Marakwet is a painful reminder of the growing vulnerability of communities living in landslide-prone regions.

In a statement sent to Newsrooms, Nyadimo emphasized that the institution is committed to collaborating with national and county governments, development partners, and other stakeholders to advance sustainable land management and disaster risk reduction programs.

The institution has identified several key areas that require urgent attention, including mapping and zonation of landslide-prone areas, enforcement of land-use and settlement controls, restoration of forest and catchment areas, strengthening disaster preparedness and response, and community awareness and capacity building.

“We must treat this tragedy as a wake-up call to prioritize environmental conservation, sustainable land management, and disaster risk reduction,” Nyadimo said.

The government has announced plans to plant 15 billion trees by 2032 through the National Tree Growing and Restoration Campaign, which is a commendable effort. However, Nyadimo noted that this effort must go hand in hand with strict enforcement of land-use planning and sustainable practices.

“It’s not just about planting trees, it’s about ensuring that we protect our watersheds, stabilize our soil, and prevent deforestation and unsustainable land use practices that exacerbate landslides,” he added.

The Institution of Surveyors of Kenya is calling on national and county governments to take urgent action to address the underlying causes of landslides and to provide support to affected communities.

Nyadimo emphasized that the institution is committed to working with all stakeholders to advance sustainable land management and disaster risk reduction programs.

“We owe it to the lives lost and to the future generations to take bold action to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future,” he said.

In light of these developments, the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya recommends several actions, including operationalizing early warning systems, enforcing anti-logging regulations, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and educating residents in vulnerable areas on environmental conservation, disaster response, and safe settlement practices.