Even as drought persists in parts of Kenya’s arid north, intense
rains are claiming lives in other parts of the country –
flooding slums in the capital Nairobi, sweeping away hikers in
the Rift Valley, and destroying crops. Many Kenyans shake their
heads in dismay at the increasingly extreme and volatile
weather, which is costing money as well as lives in east
Africa’s economic powerhouse. Wilbur Ottichilo, an environmental
scientist and member of parliament, wants to equip Kenya to deal
with these extremes. He has drafted a bill to set up an
independent Climate Change Authority to advise on adapting to
global warming and cutting the country’s greenhouse gas
emissions. He describes the move as a landmark for the continent
– Nigeria is the only other African country to have approved a
bill to set up a similar body. But President Goodluck Jonathan
has not yet signed the bill into law. Ottichilo’s bill is ready
for debate and he is confident it will go before parliament
soon. He says more than 100 MPs, out of 22