Lamu County Government has inaugurated a disaster preparedness workplan intended to protect residents from El Niño rains forecast for October, according to Kenya News Agency. Agriculture CEC James Gichu announced the plan at the Kenya Forestry Institute in Mokowe, saying the county administration is organizing measures ahead of the expected heavy rainfall. The blurb did not provide further operational details, funding figures, or specific interventions beyond the stated aim of cushioning impacts.

Kenya has stepped up preparedness measures for anticipated El Niño weather conditions expected to persist into 2027. According to the Kenya News Agency, the government is calling for stronger early warning systems and last-mile dissemination of crucial information to protect lives, livelihoods and critical infrastructure. Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Forestry and Climate Change, Dr Nancy Barasa, said the government was shifting from a largely technical approach, signaling a broader strategy to improve how climate risks are communicated and managed across the country.

The County Government of Nakuru in Kenya is working with a multi-agency team to coordinate a response to anticipated moderate-to-heavy El Niño rains expected later this year. According to the Kenya News Agency, the team is overseeing urgent preparedness measures aimed at minimizing the impact of flooding and other climate-related disasters linked to the heavy rains.

Zanzibar has stepped up preparations for anticipated El Niño rains expected between October and December 2026, with authorities calling on communities, institutions and residents in vulnerable areas to take early action to protect lives and property. Second Vice-President Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, who chairs the Zanzibar Disaster Management Committee, led a working meeting last week to coordinate the preparedness efforts, according to the Daily News.

Tanzania's meteorological agency has warned that a "very strong" El Niño is forming over the Indian Ocean, with this year's Vuli rains expected to begin in late September or early October, intensify through November 2026, and persist beyond. According to Daily News, TMA Director General Dr Ladislaus Chang'a issued the warning as concerns grow that extreme weather could trigger a wave of non-performing loans, prompting calls for Tanzanian banks to prepare for climate-related financial risks.

Kenyan weather experts are divided over the onset and distribution of the country's October–December 2026 short rains, as major global forecasting models send conflicting signals. According to Ghafla Kenya, the uncertainty stems from complex interactions between a strong El Niño, an emerging positive Indian Ocean Dipole, and an unstable Madden-Julian Oscillation tropical wave, leaving the timing of the expected rains unclear.