A Tragic Natural Disaster in Elgeyo Marakwet County
On a cold and rain-soaked night on Friday, October 31, 2025, a catastrophic event struck the serene hills of Elgeyo Marakwet County. Endo, Sambirir, and Embobut wards in Marakwet East sub-county were severely affected by a massive mudslide. After days of relentless torrential rains, the soil was loosened, triggering a deadly natural earth movement that quickly covered homesteads, roads, and farms.
Families were caught unawares in their deep sleep, with some members buried alive. Those who managed to escape watched helplessly as an avalanche of mud tore through their villages, rolling down huge boulders and logs. In the span of minutes after the dawn occurrence, 15 lives were lost, and scores of other villagers were left covered in heavy debris before their neighbors began rescuing them and sending an SOS to the government.
Government’s Swift Response
Upon receiving the red alert, the government, through the National Disaster Operation Centre (NDOC), took immediate action to prevent further calamity. The center mobilized security arms, forming a multi-agency team that deployed police and military helicopters loaded with medical supplies and personnel to administer first aid to the injured.
By the time the aircraft landed at the scene, neighbors had already searched and rescued 25 victims with severe and minor injuries. Those with severe injuries were quickly airlifted to various hospitals in the county, while others were sent to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in neighboring Uasin Gishu County.
Despite the heartbreak and destruction, one thing stood out: the swift, coordinated, and compassionate response of the government agencies to this unforeseen calamity.
Coordinated Rescue Efforts
The NDOC, working jointly with the Kenya Red Cross Society and a multi-agency team comprising personnel from various ministries, the County Government of Elgeyo Marakwet, the military, and the national police service, joined the villagers in a serious search and rescue operation that began before sunrise.
Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Kipchumba Murkomen, confirmed in the initial press briefing that military and police helicopters had been dispatched at dawn, ferrying rescue teams, medics, and emergency supplies to the cut-off villages.
Before then, the Office of the Government Spokesperson had issued two press releases to alert the nation of the natural occurrence and advise those in risky areas to move quickly out of such settlements for their safety. This was a clear demonstration of how the government’s investment in rapid-response logistics, particularly the integration of air assets in disaster management, had drastically enriched the country’s capacity to reach remote, inaccessible areas in record time.
Effective Communication and Coordination
In his earlier press release, the Deputy Government Spokesperson, Ms. Mwanaisha Chidzuga, announced the government’s involvement in the rescue of the affected people and assured Kenyans that “no effort would be spared” in an effort to save lives and property, a constitutional obligation of the authority. This timely communication helped manage anxiety, counter misinformation, and coordinate rescue efforts more efficiently, bolstered by lessons learned from past crises.
The county’s rugged terrain, with its steep escarpments and washed-out roads, made ground access nearly impossible. However, thanks to the well-coordinated multi-agency responders, including the Red Cross response team, military engineers, county emergency teams, and local volunteers, they worked side by side, braving the muddy ground and heavy rainfall to reach the trapped victims.
Airlift and Medical Support
Airborne teams conducted aerial surveillance to identify actual spots, while medical teams airlifted the injured to hospitals. Ambulances from Iten County Referral Hospital and neighboring counties joined the operation, showcasing how regional health networks had been strengthened to respond collectively to upcountry emergencies.
By Saturday evening, 25 survivors had been rescued and airlifted to hospitals for treatment, saving their lives. The government has since been distributing foodstuffs, blankets, tents, and water purification tablets, restoring dignity and hope to families who had lost everything they had amassed for years besides their loved ones.
Health and Infrastructure Response
The Ministry of Health swiftly deployed doctors, nurses, and paramedics to Marakwet East, while referral hospitals in Iten, Eldoret, and Kapenguria were placed on standby. This rapid mobilization was made possible by Kenya’s National Health Emergency Framework, introduced in 2024 to ensure quick deployment of medical teams across counties during crises.
To prevent disease outbreaks in temporary camps, the Ministry launched disease surveillance operations and established mobile health clinics at the rescue centers. Military medical personnel, assisted by medical personnel from local health facilities supported by the National Youth Service, provided vaccinations, clean water, and sanitation kits, a proactive move that helped avert cholera and typhoid outbreaks that have followed similar disasters in the past.
For the hundreds who lost their homes, the government moved swiftly to establish temporary shelters in safer zones. The County Government of Elgeyo Marakwet, led by Governor Wisley Rotich, worked closely with national agencies to register affected families and distribute essential supplies.
Long-Term Recovery and Preparedness
The relief operation placed special emphasis on children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, ensuring that no vulnerable group was left unattended. Helicopters ferried food and medical supplies to isolated villages, a testament to the government’s policy shift from reactive aid to inclusive humanitarian response.
To offer emotional comfort, psychosocial counselors were deployed to traumatized families, a relatively new but vital aspect of Kenya’s disaster response strategy, recognizing that healing is both physical and emotional.
As emergency rescue gave way to recovery, the government immediately began restoring critical infrastructure. CS Murkomen announced that teams from the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) and the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) had been dispatched to reopen roads and rebuild washed-out bridges. This action demonstrated the government’s improved ability to link humanitarian response with infrastructure resilience, ensuring that supply routes remained functional for aid delivery and other quick responses.
Governor Rotich hailed the “unprecedented emergency response coordination” between national and county governments, calling it a model for future disaster management. From military units to county responders, Red Cross volunteers, and local youth, the teamwork was seamless.
As urgent rescue efforts wound down, the government has shifted its focus to rehabilitation and long-term recovery. Plans are underway to rebuild roads, stabilize hillsides, and explore sustainable resettlement for displaced families. CS Duale has directed a review of emergency health preparedness protocols, while CS Murkomen pledged to strengthen early-warning systems in all high-risk counties, clear signs that lessons learned are being turned into stronger national frameworks.
As Kenya mourns those lost in the Marakwet mudslide, this tragedy has also revealed a powerful truth: preparedness saves lives. It is therefore anticipated that we will keep improving in our disaster preparedness and response to save more lives during such crises and other unprecedented occurrences in the future.