RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND DISASTER RISK RESILIENCE OF KENYAN COUNTIES

Abstract

Despite all the disaster risk management measures that are in place, disaster risks are still the order of the day in Baringo County. This research aimed at assessing effect of disaster risk management systems on disaster risk resilience of Kenyan counties a case for Baringo County. Specifically, the study aimed at determining the effects of disaster risk, disaster risk governance, risk reduction measures and disaster preparedness measures on disaster risk resilience in Kenyan counties. System Theory, Institutional Theory, and Stakeholder Theory were the theoretical framework underpinning the study and employed a cross-sectional case study method. 405 officers were targeted who work in sectors with responsibility for disaster risk management within Baringo County A multi-staged sampling technique was used to get the research subjects. Data collection was done using structured questionnaire. The quantitative data collected was analyzed quantitatively by use of descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of SPSS software version 27. A multiple regression model was applied to demonstrate the association between the independent variables and the dependent variable of disaster risk resilience and the results was presented in tables, charts and bars. With a study response rate of 84.7, the overall study findings showed that there exists a strong positive relation between the independent and the dependent variables as shown by R = 0.799 and R2 = 0.638 this means that 64% of variation in disaster risk resilience can be explained by changes in all the independent variables. The level of significance was <0.000 thus the overall regression model significantly predicted the dependent variables. the findings also showed that disaster preparedness measures were the predictor that most affects disaster risk resilience in Baringo County with Unstandardized coefficient (β) value of .479 followed by disaster risk reduction measure with β of .205. Disaster risk awareness was the least significant determinant of disaster risk resilience in Baringo County with Unstandardized coefficient β of .047. This study recommends that Baringo County government and its partners need to continue strengthening investment in all four independent variables as evident has shown they play complimentary role in addressing disaster risk resilience it also pointed out on specifics areas of weakness that the county government needs to give special attention including the need to adequately integrate disaster risk education in the county civic education programme, need to carry out regular Disaster Risk Assessment and dissemination of risk information, strengthening implementation of sectoral Disaster risk reduction strategies and plans, strengthening financial resources allocation for Disaster Risk Reduction interventions through annual budgets, strengthen roll out of environmental. Climate change actions and natural resource management approaches that incorporate disaster risk reduction, strengthen enforcement of construction planning to ensure they consider disaster preparedness provisions, strengthen and enhance allocation of emergency/contingency funds for effective and timely response and recovery to disaster events. Further it recommends that future study to investigate the perception of the communities in Baringo about the effect of disaster risk management systems on their individual disaster risk resilience.