IMPLEMENTATION OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY AND DROUGHT PREPAREDNESS IN THARAKA NITHI COUNTY, KENYA
Samuel Mwangi Machatha - Student, Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Wilson Muna - Lecturer, Department of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
One of the longest and recurring climate-related disasters that continues to hit Kenya, and disproportionately, arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) such as Tharaka Nithi County are affected by drought. Although there have been national and county-level Disaster Risk Management (DRM) policy frameworks, drought readiness in most of these regions remain reactive, fragmented and constrained by resources. This research study discussed the DRM policy implementation and its effects on the drought preparedness at Tharaka Nithi County in Kenya, with particular objectives given to staff capacity, financial mechanisms, technology adoption, and participation of the stakeholders. The research design used was a descriptive survey that was mixed-method. The quantitative data were gathered using semi-structured questionnaires given to 184 respondents who were sampled in government institutions, community leaders, and the DRM stakeholders, among whom 163 valid responses were examined. Key informant interviews were used to get qualitative data. SPSS Version 27 was used to analyze quantitative data, and thematic analysis was done to analyze qualitative data. The study analysis was based on the stakeholder theory, human capital theory, and resource-based theory. The findings of results obtained showed that the Tharaka Nithi County drought preparedness is moderate and mainly reactive. The capacity to predict drought preparedness was strongest with staff capacity (β = 0.402, p < 0.05) in the presence of skills, training, and institutional competence. The researcher discovered that financial mechanisms play a huge role in drought preparedness (β =0.361, p < 0.05), even though funding was generally viewed as insufficient, unreliable, and untimely. The adoption of technology influenced the effect positively and significantly (β =0.315, p < 0.05), but the training lacked, and the infrastructure was poor to increase its use. Although statistically significant (β = 0.214, p < 0.05), the stakeholder participation was limited by the coordination gaps and political pressure and the limited inclusion of communities. The research study found that drought preparedness entails coordinated investment in human capital building, predictable funding, institutionalized application of technology, and involvement of all stakeholders. The recommendation of the study advises on intensification of ongoing employee development, isolation of the drought preparedness budget, internalization of early warning technologies, and institutionalization of community roles to transform the DRM practice to be led by responding to the disaster instead of proactively building resilience. The results of the study are policy and practice related, as they offer empirical data to create a better DRM application in the ASAL counties within Kenya's devolved governance framework.