Kenyan President William Ruto has said that the country will not experience El Niño rains as has been predicted, citing a forecast by Kenya's meteorological department.

"The meteorological department has now said there will be no El Niño. We will only have heavy rains but they will not reach a destructive level," Mr Ruto said on Sunday.

He urged Kenyans to use the new prediction of abundant rainfall to produce more food from farming to ensure that the country is food secure.

The El Niño weather phenomenon occurs when sea surface temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific rise to about 0.5C above average. This ultimately releases more heat into the atmosphere, creating wetter and warmer air.

Experts had warned that El Niño rains could hit Kenya and other East African countries from mid-October.

Warnings that the heavy downpours could cause flooding, infrastructure damage and possible deaths prompted the Kenyan government to put the military on standby in case of emergencies.

Kenya last experienced El Niño rains in 1997, which left a trail of destruction, especially to the roads.