Along the busy Waiyaki Way in Kangemi on a recent afternoon, a bulldozer rumbles along a muddy trench, scooping piles of solid waste and silt into a waiting truck as workers clear the waterway.
The workers, in green overalls, thrust their shovels into the clogged trench in a race to clear it before the anticipated El Nino rains in October.
A spot-check by The Standard across the Capital found ongoing reconstruction of trenches, including along estate corridors.
The Nairobi County Government says it has stepped up efforts to unclog the blocked waterways and drainage systems after being caught flat-footed by heavy flooding several times before.
The county has come under sharp scrutiny over its preparedness to deal with flooding that has wreaked havoc in the city in the past.
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The clean-up has been going on since March this year, with the city’s leadership keen to prevent the devastation witnessed as recently as the last long rainy season, when Nairobi was soaked in floods.
For years, Nairobi’s relationship with heavy rains has followed a familiar script: dark clouds gather, drains overflow, roads turn into rivers and motorists and residents are left counting the cost, with the city left reeling in death and destruction.
In March alone, at least 33 Nairobi residents lost their lives as the rains pounded the city, triggering severe flooding, and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Then, the government also documented at least 29 people rescued from various locations after they were trapped, 15 schools, as well as 3,500 households affected.
During the rainy periods, tens of homes have been marooned, businesses destroyed, properties worth millions lost and roads cut off, paralysing transport in the city.
In the March heavy downpour, police told media outlets that at least 71 vehicles had been swept away by floodwaters in different parts of the city, warning that the number of damaged vehicles could increase as assessments continued.
Some settlements that have been submerged during the heavy rains include parts of Kayole, Mathare, Mukuru kwa Ruben, Kware slums, parts of Githurai and Kahawa West and sections of Athi River estates among others.
Mombasa Road, Thika Road, Jogoo Road, Langata Road have been the most severely affected during the flash-floods, with some staying completely cut off for hours.
The Nairobi Expressway has also been affected by the floods.
Now, with the October–December 2026 rainfall season approaching and authorities warning of heightened El Niño-related risks, the Capital is once again under scrutiny over whether its drainage system can withstand another deluge.
The Nairobi County government says it has stepped up preparations, including clearing blocked drains, waterways and river channels, while deploying environmental teams to flood-prone areas.
There are constructions going on sections of Uhuru Highway, Mombasa Road, Murang's Road, Outering Road and Museum Hill Road.
Drainage systems on sections of Langata Road are also undergoing reconstruction as the devolved unit fears Nairobi dam might break its banks.
Other areas The Standard has observed similar activities around Bus Station and Chiromo, even as the Sakaja administration assures that blockage of waterflow on Expressway has been corrected.
These areas are among 227 hotspots mapped by the county, with 16 classified as very high priority, 189 as high priority and 22 as medium priority.
Kenya Red Cross has identified 18 areas at high risk of flooding within the Capital including Dagoretti North, Mathare, Embakasi North, Embakasi South, and Makadara.
And as part of efforts to strengthen preparedness, the county has formed five sub-committees to handle infrastructure and drainage; rescue and evacuation; shelter and relief; security and transport; and communication and early warning.
But beneath the latest assurances lies a more fundamental question: has Nairobi addressed the structural weaknesses that repeatedly turn heavy rainfall into a disaster, or is the city once again relying on emergency unclogging and short-term interventions?
The question is particularly pertinent after the devastating floods witnessed in parts of the capital earlier this year, which exposed the vulnerability of roads, settlements and critical infrastructure.
This flooding problem, the city dwellers and experts alike have for years linked not only to blocked drains, but poor leadership to correct the mess.
They also blame it on ageing and undersized storm-water infrastructure, rapid urbanisation, construction on flood-prone areas and the loss of natural spaces that previously absorbed excess water.
At the height of the devastating floods, the Governor Johnson Sakaja administration rolled out what he termed as "overhaul" of the city’s drainage system, an initiative that he said would cost Sh25 billion.
Speaking during a show on a local TV station, he argued that the city’s drainage infrastructure was not designed to handle the level of rainfall currently being experienced, emphasising that Nairobi needs additional financing and a new funding model to manage the pressures of rapid urban growth.
The governor said that Nairobi’s challenges stem from decades of planning decisions, including the construction of parts of the city on swampy land and cannot be resolved through quick fixes.
“Overhauling the city’s drainage system will cost about Sh25 billion, which is why cooperation with the national government is necessary. Correcting decades of planning mistakes will require tough decisions,” he said in March.
He added: “The drainage that we have is not built for this amount of rain. Nairobi cannot be organised based on the share of revenue that it gets, like other counties."
With support from the national government after signing a co-operation with President William Ruto, Sakaja's administration embarked on the project, turning the city into a construction site, with bulldozers and plant operators shoving and excavating on the roadsides across the Capital.
A number of structures built on riparian lands were also marked for demolition including a section of State House perimeter wall in what City Hall termed a powerful signal of commitment from President William Ruto towards reclaiming the riparian lands.
Sakaja hailed the move, describing it as a demonstration of leadership and accountability, noting that Ruto, as the "primary tenant" of State House, had agreed to comply with environmental regulations.
However, the demolition is yet to take place.
And without issuing a report on the progress of the "overhaul", last week, Governor Sakaja convened another multi-agency team and five sub-committees to coordinate the city’s preparedness for the expected El Niño rains and prevent flooding disasters.
The City Hall meeting brought together the Kenya Red Cross, Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), National Disaster Management Authority, Nairobi County Disaster Management Team, Environment Department, Nairobi Rivers Commission and other agencies.
“This calls for us to prepare together, act early and protect lives and property,” Sakaja said during the meeting.
The five sub-committees, he said, will focus on Infrastructure and Drainage; Emergency Response and Evacuation; Shelter and Relief; Security and Traffic; and Communication.
He said the county is also mobilising personnel and equipment to clear blocked drainage, remove silt and waste and strengthen emergency response systems, while working with residents and residents’ associations to improve preparedness.
Sakaja said the multi-agency approach would close jurisdictional gaps and ensure all agencies work together to protect the people of Nairobi.
This meeting came just days after the National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC) and the Interior Ministry raised concerns over the risk of urban flooding, blocked drainage systems and pressure on infrastructure across the capital.
NDOC said buildings that do not meet approved construction standards could be particularly vulnerable when exposed to prolonged or intense rainfall
“Above normal rainfall may weaken buildings that do not meet approved construction standards, increasing the risk of partial or complete collapse,” the centre said in a public safety message.
The agency also warned that flooding could erode building foundations, potentially compromising the stability of structures and putting occupants and neighbouring communities at risk.
The agency has since launched the expansion and upgrading of Nairobi's sewer and drainage systems, with focus along Nairobi River, to improve stormwater management, reduce flooding and protect communities.
Similarly, they are carrying out public awareness, urging the City residents to avoid dumping solid waste into rivers, drainage channels, and sewer systems, acknowledging that blocked drains remain one of the leading causes of flooding in Nairobi.
"Among the leading causes of blocked drainages are the indiscriminate dumping of garbage into stormwater drains, illegal structures build on drainage corridors, silt and soil washed into the drainage channels, poor maintenance of sewer system, and plastic wastes that prevent water from flowing freely," NDOC said on its social media accounts last week.