Following widespread flooding in the capital, Nairobi, Governor Johnson Sakaja has announced a comprehensive set of measures aimed at addressing perennial waterlogging and riverbank encroachments.
Speaking on Monday, Sakaja highlighted the need for the demolition of illegal infrastructure along riverbanks as a key intervention to restore natural water flow and prevent recurring flood damage.
“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 said, adding that machinery is already in place for demolition operations.
He specifically mentioned areas such as Brookside, which are frequently affected by floods. “Painful decisions must be made. I hope we get cooperation as we open up,” Sakaja said.
The Governor held a meeting with the Joint Implementation Committee on the Cooperation Agreement between the National Government and Nairobi City County Government to coordinate the city’s flood response.
The committee instructed relevant agencies including the Nairobi Rivers Commission, Nairobi Water, Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), and the county transport sector to submit a collaborative, costed evaluation of flood damage within 48 hours.
The report will identify drainage bottlenecks, map damaged infrastructure across Nairobi’s 17 sub-counties, prioritise de-silting of drains, and recommend long-term improvements to the city’s stormwater management network.
A multi-agency team has also been tasked with enforcing recovery of riparian and floodplain areas to restore natural river flows and reduce recurrent flooding. Sakaja noted that satellite and GIS mapping of river corridors, floodplains, and high-risk zones will be shared with both government agencies and the public to enhance disaster preparedness and urban planning.
Emergency response efforts have already seen more than 4,000 household water treatment supplies distributed, over 300 flood-affected homes and sanitation facilities cleaned, and more than 1,300 residents educated on water safety and hygiene. Public health teams have also rehabilitated 30 flood-affected schools, benefiting over 3,800 students.
Governor Sakaja stressed that the measures aim to combine immediate disaster relief with long-term planning to mitigate the effects of climate-related flooding in Nairobi.
