KHRC warns El Nino response could deepen human rights violations

The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has warned the government against repeating human rights violations witnessed during the 2024 floods as the country braces for heavy El Nino rains. KHR wants the government to put human rights at the centre of preparations, evacuations and relief operations, warning that emergency interventions could disproportionately affect people living in informal settlements and other vulnerable communities. The commission said about 80 per cent of the country is at risk of severe flooding, with all 47 counties expected to be severely affected. The warning comes after the devastating floods of 2024 , which killed at least 170 people and displaced more than 200,000 by May 2, according to Human Rights Watch, while destroying property, infrastructure and livelihoods across the country. Predictions show that the highest-intensity rainfall is expected in Northern Kenya, Central Kenya, the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria basin and Western Kenya.