Manila, Philippines – West Mugirango MP Stephen Mogaka has declared that access to environmental information is a “human right and a survival database,” urging stronger investments in climate data and early-warning systems to safeguard communities.
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Speaking at the ongoing International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) 2025 conference in Manila, Mogaka emphasized that better climate data management is critical to saving lives and livelihoods in vulnerable regions.
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“In Kenya, meteorologists must up their game to warn on hailstorms, thunderstorms, thunder and lightning so that farmers may hasten harvesting of their crops, specifically vegetables, to mitigate loss,” Mogaka said during a panel engagement with delegates.
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Drawing from his constituency in the Lake Victoria Basin, Mogaka highlighted the devastating impact of unpredictable weather patterns. In recent years, lightning strikes killed three youths in Sirate, a mother in Nyabisimba, and another young person in Bobembe, while storms ripped off the roof of St Peter’s Nyakemincha School.
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To reduce such risks, the legislator noted, community-based interventions are already underway. “We have installed thunderstorms arrestors in each ward that have helped obviate deaths attributed to thunder and lightning,” he said.
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Mogaka also urged Kenya’s FM radio stations to dedicate platforms to weather information, saying this would improve public awareness and counter misinformation.
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“Knowledge is power, and such weather knowledge will enhance proactive management of our farms, encourage adequate crop insurance, and reduce the risk of food insecurity,” he remarked.
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The 2025 IDUAI conference, themed “Ensuring Access to Environmental Information in the Digital Age”, is examining how big data and environmental information can be integrated into law to strengthen disaster preparedness and climate action.
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Delegates are expected to conclude with the 2025 IDUAI Statement, reaffirming commitments to Agenda 2030 and advancing regional cooperation on universal access to environmental information.
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