Let It Rain

Kenya has 300 days of sunshine each year and two rainy seasons. The “Short Rains” occur in October-November-December each year. The “Long Rains” occur in March-April-May. Kenya is experiencing an extreme drought right now. The most dire consequence is the millions of people that have no food because their crops have long stopped producing. In fact, most areas in Kenya have experienced 100% crop failure.This is a dry river bed.

The Kenya Red Cross reports that thousands have starved to death. Children have died from eating poisonous wild fruits (looking for food in the trees when there is none left in the house). Elderly have died because their small backyard shamba (garden) has no maize (corn). Parents have committed suicide over the stress of being unemployed and having no food to feed their children.

Some are now dying because of an acute outbreak of cholera. Cholera is a potentially fatal bacterial infection of the intestine that causes severe diarrhea and dehydration. The disease is spread through untreated sewage and contaminated drinking water.

And so we wait for the rains.

The Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, Kenya Meteorological Department has provided this information concerning the Seasonal Forecast for March-April-May 2009 “Long Rains”:

The October-November- December 2008 “Short-Rains” seasonal rainfall was characterized by very poorly temporal distribution. Most parts of the country experienced heavy and continuous rainfall during the month of October and first half of November. The rainfall was especially heavy over the western part of the country. This resulted in flash floods and landslides/ mudslides leading to loss of life and property as well as destruction of infra-structure in several areas. However, the entire country remained generally sunny and dry through out the second half of November and the entire month of December. The poor temporal distribution and the early cessation of the seasonal rainfall had a negative impact on rain-fed agricultural activities.

The March-April-May 2009 seasonal rainfall forecast indicates that most parts of the country are likely to be depressed. Sporadic heavy and short-lived rainfall storms may however occur. The seasonal forecast for onset of “Long-Rains” in Central and Nairobi Provinces is expected in the third to fourth week of March with the cessation occurring the last week of May.