Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has given Nairobi City County and Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) engineers and contractors 14 days to complete critical drainage and road works as the city steps up preparations for the anticipated El Niño rains.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

Sakaja said the directive was aimed at speeding up works in areas identified as flood hotspots and improving the city’s preparedness ahead of the expected rains.

“We have directed our teams to accelerate the ongoing works, particularly in known flood hotspots, to improve drainage and reduce the risk of flooding ahead of the expected rains,” Sakaja said.

Nairobi has mapped 227 flood hotspots across the city’s 17 sub-counties, with authorities prioritising areas considered most vulnerable to flooding. The mapping is being used to guide the deployment of equipment and emergency preparedness measures.

📌 What You Need to Know

The county is implementing a Ksh2.4 billion multi-agency flood-mitigation programme, including Ksh2 billion for drainage and flood-control works targeting 19 flood-prone roads.

The ongoing works include clearing, desilting, widening and deepening drainage channels, while additional earth-moving equipment has been deployed to areas identified as high-risk. Teams have also been clearing blocked drains and waterways in different parts of the city.

For residents, the interventions are intended to improve stormwater drainage, reduce flooding on roads and protect homes and businesses in vulnerable areas. The county has also urged residents living in high-risk and riparian areas to follow safety advisories as the rains approach.

"The preparations were being coordinated through a multi-agency framework involving Nairobi County, KURA, KeNHA, KeRRA, Kenya Red Cross, the National Disaster Management Authority and the Nairobi Rivers Commission," Sakaja said.

Authorities have also established five committees to oversee infrastructure and drainage, emergency response and evacuation, shelter and relief, security and traffic, and public communication during the rainy period.

The county has set up an emergency operations centre and a 1508 hotline for residents to report incidents. It has also identified 27 drop-off points and shelters that could be used to accommodate people evacuated from areas affected by flooding.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke