The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the County Government of Kisumu, is implementing the Strengthening Urban Resilience Programme, with Kisumu City as the focal area. The initiative aims that by March 2026, cities in high-risk development contexts particularly those vulnerable to heatwaves, floods, environmental degradation, and conflict will benefit from: Contextualized and actionable risk information, Improved governance systems and risk-informed urban planning, strengthened capacities and technical resources & Deployment of innovation, digital technology, and nature-based solutions
As part of the programme, the project seeks to establish a Kisumu Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to enhance coordination during urban emergencies and facilitate real-time monitoring of emerging risks and incidents.
The EOC will serve as the County’s central hub for disaster risk management, providing a platform for: Risk monitoring and early warning, including analysis of emerging threats such as floods, fires, and public safety hazards, Coordination of multi-agency emergency responses, ensuring timely decision-making and communication among relevant departments; Data integration and visualization, utilizing GIS mapping, drone imagery, and predictive analytics to support evidence-based planning and risk-informed decision-making and Incident reporting and response tracking, improving accountability and efficiency in crisis management
Earlier this morning, a high-level meeting was held between UNDP representatives and the Kisumu City leadership to review implementation progress and align strategic priorities. The meeting was attended by City Manager Abala Wanga, UNDP DRR and Resilience Project Officer Raphael Kimani Mutitu, Head of ICT Ayim OBA, Deputy Head of ICT Michael Obare, City Head of Engineering Wilson Omondi, and Director of Communication and Corporate Affairs Aaron Ochieng.
The objective of the partnership is to establish a centralized Emergency Operations Centre facility to enhance urban resilience through the monitoring of emergencies across Kisumu City, integration of smart surveillance technologies, and strengthening of institutional capacity for rapid response and crime prevention.
The Emergency Operations Centre, set to be completed by November 2025, will be equipped with state-of-the-art systems, including high-resolution CCTV feeds, GIS mapping tools, drones, and AI-powered analytics. Real-time data will be shared with key departments such as the police, fire services, and disaster response units to facilitate coordinated action.
The County and City ICT Directorate will oversee system integration and ensure that cybersecurity protocols are implemented and maintained throughout the system’s operation.
