The Kenya Meteorological Department Director David Gikungu has refuted any link with statements made by President Wiliam Ruto indicating that there would not be El-Nino.
In an interview with a local media station on Sunday, November 19, the weatherman stated that he had no idea where the president got his information from.
Additionally, he insisted that all official communication from the department indicated consistently that it was an El-Nino season until April 2024.
“I hope one day I will find out the truth. I am the weatherman, the statements I have been giving, what you would call official communication, have not suggested a decline or anything that would withdraw the El-Nino phenomenon.
“When I say I am yet to know what happened, I am saying that I am yet to know the source of that information,” stated Gikungu.
President William Ruto on October 22 said Kenya will not experience El-Nino rains as had been predicted by scientists in the country.
In fact, the head of state added that the October-November-December season will have short rains.
Also Read: Gachagua Forces Met Department to Apologize Over El Nino
“You recently heard that our country is going to experience El Nino, but who is God, have you heard that those people say they will not have it but there will be just heavy rainfall,” Ruto stated then.
Weatherman Expresses Concerns of Credibility After Ruto’s Statements
At the same time, the met director noted that he was concerned about the credibility of the information the department was issuing because of the confusion caused by the president.
He also noted that he only apologized to make sure that the right information was shared adding that in the meeting, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was present and was making sure that indeed El Nino was coming.
“I am concerned about the credibility of the Met department after that and that is why I issued an apology. But as the head of that department, I needed to state that the forecast has not changed and clear the confusion that information was causing.
“I needed to state that I am sorry about that miscommunication because as far as the science is concerned, the indication is that we are all in an El Nino season that lasts up to Aril 2024,” he added.
Also Read: El Nino to Last for Six Months – World Met
The Association of Rains with El-Nino
On the other hand, the weatherman stated that despite the fact that El Nino was associated with heavy rains, it did not mean that in every part of the world it was raining heavily.
According to him, the rains were one of the indicators of an El Nino season among other determiners.
“All I know is that people have associated El Nino with rainfall almost to the extent of calling rainfall El Nino, which is not the case.
“It is a signal to be coupled with other signals for it to form rainfall to the excess like we are seeing now, because there are also other places like Australia that when we have El Nino like we are seeing now, those other places have drought,” he explained.
