Following heavy rains that paralyzed parts of the capital, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja proposed several strategies to tackle the city’s chronic flooding.
A primary component of his plan involves tearing down structures built along riverbanks.
“Those who have constructed houses on river banks will have to move. Because we will remove those houses. We have assembled the equipment to do the work. They know they are not supposed to be there,” Sakaja stated.
The governor confirmed that crews will deploy heavy machinery to clear infrastructure obstructing Nairobi’s waterways.
“You will see us demolish walls along the river. Painful decisions must be made. I hope we get cooperation as we open up. There are areas like Brookside that are affected all the time. We are coming,” Sakaja added.
On Monday, the governor met with the Joint Implementation Committee, which oversees the cooperation agreement between the national government and Nairobi City County.
The committee instructed a group of agencies – including the Nairobi Rivers Commission, Nairobi Water, KURA, KeRRA, KeNHA, and the county’s transport sector – to submit a detailed damage assessment and a funded response plan within 48 hours.
This upcoming report will map out drainage blocks and broken infrastructure across all 17 sub-counties. It will also prioritize clearing silt from drains, repairing damaged roads, and proposing long-term upgrades to the city’s stormwater network.
Additionally, the committee ordered a multi-agency team to step up the recovery of riparian and floodplain zones. These efforts aim to restore natural river flows and curb the cycle of flooding.
Sakaja announced that the city will create satellite and GIS maps of Nairobi’s river corridors, floodplains, and high-risk zones. The government will share these maps with the public and relevant agencies to improve urban planning and disaster readiness.
Response teams have already distributed water treatment supplies to over 4,000 households and sanitized more than 300 flood-affected homes and latrines.
Furthermore, Sakaja noted that community health advocates provided water safety and hygiene training to over 1,300 residents. Meanwhile, public health experts disinfected more than 30 flooded schools, ensuring a safer environment for over 3,800 students.
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