Abstract:
Records management scholars and practitioners in Kenya have been concerned about
the pathetic condition of records in the public sector in the country. The prevailing
climatic conditions, security situation, political volatility and proximity to large water
masses pose major challenges to records management in Mombasa County. These
factors have raised serious concerns about the level of disaster preparedness of
County Government departments in the event of natural and man-made disasters.
However, no empirical studies have been undertaken to evaluate the state of disaster
preparedness in government departments in the county. Therefore, the aim of the
study was to evaluate the level of disaster preparedness in government departments in
the county and to suggest ways in which disaster preparedness can be enhanced. The
objectives of the study were: to establish the existing disaster preparedness strategies
in government departments in Mombasa County; to determine the reliability of the
existing strategies in preventing and responding to disasters; to analyse records
disaster prevention and control strategies in place; to determine the effectiveness of
the strategies in pre-emptying the effects of records disasters; to establish the
challenges of implementing disaster preparedness and disaster control programs and
to propose appropriate strategies for enhancing disaster preparedness programmes in
government departments in Mombasa County. The study was informed by the
National Archives of Australia Disaster Preparedness Manual for Commonwealth
Agencies and the Queensland Public Authority Guidelines on Disaster Preparedness
and Response for Public Records. The study population comprised of national and
county government departments located in Mombasa County from which 37
departments, with functional registries, constituted the study sample. Mixed research
approach and survey research design were adopted for the study. Non-probability
sampling method using purposive sampling techniques were used to select the study
sample. Data was collected by use of interviews and observation. Interview schedule
and observation checklist were the key data collection instruments. Data was
presented in tables and charts and analysed thematically. The study revealed that
disaster preparedness in Mombasa County remains a major challenge and that
government departments did not use the internationally accepted best practices to
secure records against disasters. In a majority of departments, negligence in using
government regulations and international standards and shortage of trained staff in
many ways, put records in jeopardy in the event of disasters. The study recommended
that to address the existing challenges, government departments should enhance
recruitment of trained staff, strictly adhere to existing government regulations and
also adopt internationally accepted best practices.