The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) has appointed Edward Muriuki as acting Director of Meteorological Services.
As per Kenya Met, Muriuki is a seasoned meteorologist who joined KMD in 1991. Before becoming the Director, he held various positions such as Senior Assistant Director in multiple divisions, Deputy Director, Technical and Support Services, among others.
However, many will remember his predecessor, David Gikungu’s time at the helm, especially after he was forced to provide a public apology for a seemingly accurate weather forecast in 2023.
Back in November 2023, Gikungu had to issue a public apology for correctly predicting that El Niño rains would continue even during the short rain season.
“I want to point out that as initially given in the forecast, we have El Nino in this short rainy season 2023 and we do apologize for the lack of communication or miscommunication because that was a big mistake but we are sorry about that, but moving forward let us prepare ourselves for enhanced rainfall as a result of El Nino phenomena as we are in,” Dr. Gikungu stated.
At the time, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, in his capacity as the chair of the Emergency Response Committee, summoned Gikungu to apologise for a supposed miscommunication to the President and the nation over the downpour that was predicted to cause flooding in many parts of the country.
While addressing the state of rains in the country, Gikungu regretted the miscommunication by his department, which had allayed fears of El Niño, therefore leading to casualties and destruction as Kenyans were caught off guard.
Gikungu’s apology came after President William Ruto, in an earlier speech in October, pointed out that the heavy rains would cease and downplayed the possibility of El Niño months after the weatherman had warned the public that the rains would begin in September of that year.
Ruto’s own words would come back to bite him as the rain wreaked havoc, bringing floods and damage to several areas across the country. The heavy rains attracted more controversy after it emerged that the government did not put in place the requisite disaster management measures to handle the affected victims.
In his speech, Ruto had also hit out at critics over his decision earlier in the year to conduct prayers at the Nyayo National Stadium in the hope of rain.
"You see, the department has now said there will be no El Niño; we will only have significant rains, which is even better for us to get to our farms and produce more," Ruto said.
Adding: "There are those who criticised us when we prayed for rain at Nyayo Stadium. They said a whole President is praying for rain. Now see, we have more rain than we have had in four years, that is God's doing."
Gikungu leaves Kenya Met after serving for over 30 years, rising from a junior staffer to the Director of the institution. He is credited for overseeing a seamless transition of KMD from usage of rudimentary tools and little public interest to an era where climate, artificial intelligence and technology have dominated the weather scene.
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