The Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations Chaired by Baringo Senator William Cheptumo met today to consider the draft Disaster Management Bill sponsored by the Committee.

The major objective of the Bill is to provide a framework for effective and coordinated disaster management at the National and County level.

The Bill establishes the National Disaster Risk Management Authority to ensure that there is coordination of disaster risk management issues within the National government and between the national and county governments.

At the County level, the Bill proposes to designate a County executive Committee member, for each County, who shall be responsible for advising the county government on matters relating to disaster risk management, formulating the county disaster risk management plans and policy in line with the national plan policy, promoting civic education and public awareness, training and capacity building on disaster risk management in the county including schools. 

The Bill further establishes a Disaster Risk Management Fund, which is a national fund that will be used to provide funds to cater for disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery measures.

In addition, the Bill proscribes certain actions such as obstruction of officers who are tasked with disaster management, making false claims relating to a disaster, creating false alarms, and misappropriation of relief money or material. It prescribes various penalties for such offences.

During today`s meeting, Legislators resolved to conduct a County visit in Elgeyo Maraket County to assess the security situation.

Other members in attendance were Vice Chair Sen. Karen Nyamu, Sen. Lenku Seki, Sen. George Mbugua, Sen. Fatuma Dullo, Sen. Joseph Githuku and Sen. Abdul Haji.