Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has unified national and county government agencies under one command to accelerate preparations for the expected El Niño rains and strengthen the city's response to flood risks. This move aims to enhance coordination and response during the rainy season. Sakaja received progress reports from multi-agency teams involved in the city's preparedness efforts. The teams briefed the governor on completed works, ongoing interventions, and additional measures required ahead of the rains.
The agencies involved in the city's preparedness efforts include the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO), National Police Service, Green Nairobi, Disaster Management teams, Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), Kenya Red Cross, and Nairobi's boroughs. Sakaja directed the teams to accelerate ongoing drainage and flood-mitigation works, particularly in areas identified as flood hotspots. He emphasized the need for a coordinated system to ensure faster decision-making and information sharing.
Sakaja announced that Charter Hall would be converted into a central command centre where representatives from different agencies would coordinate operations and provide a common flow of information. This command centre would enable the agencies to make decisions and respond quickly during the rainy season. The governor stressed the importance of uniting and working together to save lives and property.
Nairobi has been undertaking drainage clearance, desilting, widening, and deepening of waterways, while additional earth-moving equipment has been deployed to areas considered vulnerable to flooding. The governor directed authorities to relocate residents living along major rivers and on riparian land in areas considered high-risk. He emphasized that occupying riparian land is non-negotiable and that residents must move to avoid danger.
The evacuation efforts would target vulnerable settlements along the Mathare, Ngong, and Nairobi rivers, citing previous loss of lives in areas prone to flooding. Sakaja clarified that the exercise was intended to protect residents from danger and should not be viewed as displacement. He cited ongoing interventions along Naivasha Road, where authorities are working with residents to facilitate evacuation from vulnerable areas while clearing blocked waterways and drainage channels.
The governor attributed improved coordination at the local level to the establishment of six Nairobi boroughs, each headed by a borough manager. The boroughs are Central, Northern, Eastern, South Eastern, Southern, and Western Nairobi. Sakaja directed representatives of the participating agencies to maintain close coordination, share progress reports, and provide residents with timely and consistent information as the city prepares for the rainy season.
Sakaja emphasized that the goal of the evacuation efforts is to save lives and property, and that it is not about politics. He urged residents to cooperate with authorities to ensure their safety during the rainy season. The governor's efforts aim to mitigate the impact of the El Niño rains and prevent loss of life and property in Nairobi.
Key points
- Governor Sakaja unites agencies under one command to accelerate Nairobi flood preparations.
- The city undertakes drainage clearance and deploys earth-moving equipment to vulnerable areas.
- Authorities to relocate residents living along major rivers and on riparian land in high-risk areas.
