Nairobi County has embarked on drainage expansion works aimed at mitigating floodwaters ahead of El Nino rains.
Governor Johnson Sakaja, while calling on city residents to remain alert and proactive, said City Hall has intensified preparations and accelerated identification of hotspots.
The governor on Friday said his administration is taking early and coordinated action to minimise the impact of heavy rains, urging residents to stay calm, pay attention to official information and follow guidance from the multi-agency team established to coordinate the city’s preparedness and emergency response.
“We are working proactively to address the challenges of flooding before El Nino hits the ground. We urge our people not to panic but to be alert and get information from our multi-agency team,” said Sakaja.
The Governor spoke during an inspection tour of several flood-prone areas in Nairobi, including the Mombasa Road-Bunyala Junction corridor and Globe Roundabout, which experienced significant flooding during previous heavy rains.
Sakaja said drainage works are already underway in the affected areas, with teams working to open up and deepen drainage channels, clear obstructions, and improve storm-water flow to prevent a repeat of the flooding witnessed previously.
His remarks come as weatherman warned of increased rainfall in the coming months, with Nairobi among the urban areas requiring heightened preparedness because of its exposure to flooding and the impact of heavy rainfall on roads, settlements and other critical infrastructure.
Sakaja said the county has so far brought together the disaster management teams, Kenya Red Cross, Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) under a coordinated programme worth Sh2.4 billion to strengthen Nairobi’s flood resilience.
Of the amount, Sh2 billion has been set aside for drainage and flood-mitigation works targeting 19 roads in flood-prone areas.
The projects are at an advanced stage, with tenders awarded and contractors expected to commence implementation after completion of the necessary processes.
Sakaja reiterated that the programme will complement ongoing county interventions under the Nairobi Regeneration Programme, which includes the rehabilitation and upgrading of critical infrastructure across the city.
“The Sh2 billion will support a comprehensive drainage overhaul that complements the ongoing Nairobi Regeneration Programme. Our goal is to permanently address the flooding challenges that have affected the city for many years,” Sakaja said.
He said the focus is not only on responding to floods after they occur, but on addressing the infrastructure weaknesses that have historically made Nairobi vulnerable to flooding.
To strengthen preparedness, the county has established five specialised sub-committees under the multi-agency framework.
The committees include Infrastructure and Drainage; Emergency Response and Evacuation; Shelter and Relief; Security and Traffic and Communication.
While the Infrastructure and Drainage committee will coordinate the clearing and improvement of drainage systems, rivers and other critical infrastructure, the Emergency Response and Evacuation committee will oversee rapid response, rescue and evacuation operations whenever emergencies occur.
The Shelter and Relief committee will prepare safe shelters and coordinate the provision of food, water, medical assistance and other essential support to affected residents.
The Security and Traffic committee will coordinate security, traffic management and emergency access, while the Communication committee will strengthen early-warning systems, public alerts and timely dissemination of information.
Sakaja said the county is also mobilising personnel, equipment and other resources to clear blocked drains, remove silt and waste and strengthen emergency response systems in areas identified as vulnerable.
He urged residents and their associations, businesses and other stakeholders to play an active role in flood preparedness by keeping drainage areas clear and paying attention to official warnings.
The county chief said residents in high-risk areas will be provided with timely information on emerging weather conditions and the actions they should take when heavy rains occur.
“We don’t want people to panic. We want people to be proactive, to listen to information and to work with us. The multi-agency team is in place, and we are preparing before the rains intensify,” Sakaja said.
According to him, the multi-agency approach will also help eliminate jurisdictional gaps by bringing together national and county agencies to operate as one coordinated team.
He said the combination of drainage upgrades, emergency preparedness, early-warning systems and coordinated response would strengthen Nairobi’s resilience and reduce disruption caused by heavy rains.
The multi-agency team is expected to meet next week to review progress, coordinate ongoing works and further push the city’s El Niño preparedness agenda.
