Food crisis feared as El Nino rains delayed

• Met experts insist heavy downpours could still come but add: don’t count on it

Mr Mike Njeru, the KenGen spokesman, was optimistic that electricity will not be interrupted. Instead, the supply is set to improve following the rise in water levels at the Seven Forks dam, he said.

The levels at Masinga had risen from a low of 1,026 metres to 1,040 metres, significantly below the maximum level of 1,056 metres.

KenGen increasingly relies on diesel-generated electricity, which has seen electricity bills shoot through the roof.

Erratic rains

The deputy director of Meteorological services, Mr Peter Ambenje, has blamed the warming of the Indian Ocean for the erratic rains.

He said Western, Rift Valley and North Eastern were some of the areas where rains have been poor.

“Despite this shortfall, we expect enhanced rainfall in Nairobi, Central, Western and parts of Northeastern this month,” he said.

Reported by Gatonye Gathura, Barnabas Bii, Muchiri Karanja, Simon Siele, Alex Ndirangu, Peter Leftie and Mike Mwaniki