President Ruto signs disaster law to overhaul emergency response frameworks

President William Ruto signed three bills into law at State House, Nairobi, on Friday morning, introducing a central legal structure to oversee emergency infrastructure management and response across Kenya.

The legislative package includes the National Disaster Risk Management Bill, 2023, the Forest Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Equalisation Fund Appropriations Bill, 2025.

The new National Disaster Risk Management (NDRM) law establishes the National Disaster Risk Management Authority (NDRMA) alongside county disaster risk management committees, shifting the country away from an ad-hoc emergency response strategy.

According to Deputy Chief of Staff in the Executive Office of the President, Josphat Nanok, the new authority provides a statutory blueprint to anticipate, prepare for, and manage emergencies systematically.

The legislation gives the Head of State the specific legal power to declare a national state of disaster, a mechanism required to trigger emergency fund deployments and mass evacuations during climate or infrastructural failures.

The enactment follows severe criticism of the state's handling of previous structural and environmental challenges, including the massive 2024 El Niño floods that devastated drainage networks, roads, and human settlements.

By centralising operations under a single command, the law removes overlapping responsibilities that previously delayed resource distribution between various state departments and humanitarian groups.

The financial component of the presidential assent involves the Equalisation Fund Appropriations Bill, 2025, which releases Sh16.2 billion to support development across 34 counties.

The Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) identified these regions as marginalised, and the capital injection will target critical basic infrastructure, including water connections, local roads, and health facilities.

Concurrently, the Forest Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introduces the Directorate of Forest Regulation (DFR) to oversee environmental standards and enforce compliance with national conservation policies.

The Friday event represents the eighth time President Ruto has assented to legislation in 2026, underlining an active legislative agenda focused on risk mitigation, financing, and regulatory reforms.

The long-term impact of the framework remains tied to practical execution, as county administrations must now draft local emergency plans and align local construction approvals with national resilience guidelines.