Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has convened a multi-agency team and established five sub-committees to coordinate the city’s preparedness for the expected El Niño rains, as KSh2.4 billion worth of drainage and flood-mitigation works gets underway across flood-prone areas.
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 key agencies.
Sakaja said the multi-agency approach is aimed at ensuring Nairobi prepares early, coordinates its response and protects lives and property.
“This calls for us to prepare together, act early and protect lives and property,” Sakaja said.
Of the KSh2.4 billion, KSh2 billion has been allocated to drainage and flood-mitigation works targeting 19 roads in flood-prone areas. The works are already at an advanced stage, with tenders awarded and contractors expected to commence implementation following the necessary processes.
The programme will complement ongoing county efforts to overhaul Nairobi’s drainage network, including the Nairobi Regeneration Programme, while addressing roads and other critical infrastructure repeatedly affected by flooding.
Sakaja says the works would help tackle the city’s long-standing flooding challenges.
“The KSh2 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,” he said.
The multi-agency teams have jointly identified 227 flood hotspots across Nairobi’s 17 sub-counties, which will guide preparedness, resource deployment and emergency interventions.
Among the priority areas identified are blocked and undersized drainage channels, areas requiring desilting and waste removal, river corridors and other waterways at risk of obstruction, flood-prone roads and critical transport links, and locations where emergency access could be compromised during heavy rains.
The teams will also focus on areas where structures or other obstructions interfere with water flow, as well as vulnerable communities that may require early warnings, evacuation, shelter and relief support.
The multi-agency team has established five sub-committees covering Infrastructure and Drainage; Emergency Response and Evacuation; Shelter and Relief; Security and Traffic; and Communication.
The Infrastructure and Drainage committee will coordinate the clearing and improvement of drainage systems, rivers and other critical infrastructure, while the Emergency Response and Evacuation committee will oversee rapid response, rescue and evacuation during emergencies.
The Shelter and Relief committee will prepare safe shelters and coordinate food, water, medical assistance and other relief for affected residents. The Security and Traffic committee will coordinate security, traffic management and emergency access, while the Communication committee will strengthen early warnings, public alerts and timely information to residents.
The county is mobilising personnel, equipment and resources to clear blocked drains, remove silt and waste and strengthen emergency response systems in the identified vulnerable areas.
Sakaja said the county would work closely with residents, residents’ associations and other stakeholders to ensure communities in high-risk areas receive timely information and know what action to take when heavy rains occur.
The Governor said the multi-agency framework would help eliminate jurisdictional gaps and ensure government agencies operate as one team in preparing for and responding to emergencies.
The flood-mitigation works, together with the new coordination structure, are expected to strengthen Nairobi’s resilience, improve storm-water management and reduce the disruption caused by flooding during heavy rains.
