At Kakamega Social Hall, where the county's rescue and fire brigade teams are based, two giant fire engines stand as a grim reminder of the county government's fragile state of disaster preparedness.
One is grounded, its tyres deflated, windows shattered and battery missing, while the other, despite its relatively newer appearance, is struggling with an ageing battery and mechanical problems that threaten its ability to respond to emergencies.
The sorry state of the firefighting equipment has raised serious questions about Kakamega's preparedness to deal with disasters, particularly as the country braces for possible El Niño-related weather emergencies amid ongoing heavy rains.
Despite repeated budgetary allocations for disaster management and the formation of a multi-agency response committee, residents say the county is ill-equipped to respond to emergencies, leaving millions of people vulnerable should a major disaster strike.
In the 2026/2027 financial year, a disaster management unit was allocated Sh2.7 million, while a meagre Sh465,852 was allocated towards maintenance expenses for fire engines and equipment.
The concerns emerged during a public participation forum on the County Annual Development Plan for the 2026/2027 financial year, where residents questioned why critical firefighting and rescue equipment had been left to deteriorate despite successive budgetary allocations.
They argued that Kakamega, with its 12 constituencies and vast geographical coverage, cannot depend on a single operational fire engine to respond to emergencies across the county.
Johnmoris Simbauni, one of the residents who raised the alarm, questioned why firefighting vehicles remained grounded despite the county allocating funds for disaster management year after year.
"Some of these vehicles are so old that you would think they were manufactured in 1974. Others are grounded, while some do not even have batteries. What will happen if a fire breaks out? We have been budgeting for these services year after year, but nothing is happening," he said.
Simbauni said a county of Kakamega's size should have at least six fully equipped fire engines and rescue vehicles to guarantee effective emergency response.
"We expected a large county like Kakamega, with 12 constituencies, to have at least six fire engines and rescue vehicles. It is sad that we have only one working fire engine to serve the entire county, yet we allocate money every year. We are asking the governor to wake up and put things in order because residents are on their own if disaster strikes," he said.
He warned that the situation could prove disastrous given Kakamega's vulnerability to heavy rainfall, flooding and other emergencies, as well as risks associated with gold mining activities in parts of the county.
Another resident, James Adamba, questioned how a county government could fail to purchase basic necessities such as batteries and tyres or undertake routine servicing of its firefighting vehicles.
"We are being told these vehicles lack batteries. Surely, this is a big joke. How can the Kakamega County Government fail to buy batteries? With all due respect to the governor, this is a total failure. You have to intervene because the buck stops with you," he said.
The concerns were echoed by a fire engine driver, who spoke to The Standard on condition of anonymity, saying the brigade was struggling to operate with old batteries that required frequent charging.
The driver said the batteries could not retain sufficient power for extended periods, raising fears that the vehicles could fail when urgently needed.
"We have raised these issues with our department, asking for the vehicles to be serviced and new batteries and tyres purchased, but nothing is happening. We have batteries that are constantly being charged because they are old and worn out. They cannot keep the fire engines running for long without going off," he said.
The residents' concerns come barely a month after the county government, in collaboration with the national government, established a disaster response committee to coordinate preparedness and emergency interventions.
The Standard established that Sh300 million had been allocated for disaster response following warnings of looming El Niño conditions and other disaster threats, even as the region continues to experience heavy rainfall.
However, questions remain over how the funds will translate into practical interventions, particularly the restoration of firefighting equipment and the clearing of drainage systems.
When contacted for comment on the grounded fire engines, missing batteries and lack of maintenance, County Chief Officer for Finance Dr June Mwajuma said government procurement procedures had to be followed.
However, her response did not directly address when the grounded fire engines would be repaired, whether funds had been set aside for their maintenance or when the county expected to restore its firefighting capacity.
