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 Nino 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 (NDMA), Nairobi County Disaster Management Team, Environment Department, Nairobi Rivers Commission and other key agencies.
Sakaja said the multi-agency approach would enable Nairobi to prepare early, coordinate its response and protect lives and property.
“This calls for us to prepare together, act early and protect lives and property,” Sakaja said.
Of the KSh2.4 billion allocated to the programme, KSh2 billion will support drainage and flood-mitigation works targeting 19 roads in flood-prone areas.
The projects are already at an advanced stage, with tenders awarded and contractors expected to commence implementation after completion of the necessary processes.
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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 that have repeatedly been affected by flooding.
Sakaja said the works would help address Nairobi’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.
227 Flood hot spots
The multi-agency teams have identified 227 flood hot spots across Nairobi’s 17 sub-counties. The areas will guide preparedness measures, resource deployment and emergency interventions ahead of heavy rains.
Priority areas include blocked and undersized drainage channels, locations requiring desilting and waste removal, river corridors and other waterways at risk of obstruction.
The teams will also focus on flood-prone roads and critical transport links, as well as areas where emergency access could be compromised during heavy rains.
Other areas of concern include locations where structures or other obstructions interfere with water flow and vulnerable communities that may require early warnings, evacuation, shelter and relief support.
Committees to Coordinate Flood Response
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.
The Emergency Response and Evacuation Committee will oversee rapid response, rescue and evacuation operations during emergencies.
The Shelter and Relief Committee will prepare safe shelters and coordinate food, water, medical assistance and other relief for affected residents.
Meanwhile, the Security and Traffic Committee will coordinate security, traffic management and emergency access, while the Communication Committee will strengthen early-warning systems, public alerts and timely information to residents.
The county is mobilizing personnel, equipment and resources to clear blocked drains, remove silt and waste, and strengthen emergency response systems in identified vulnerable areas.
Sakaja said the county would also work closely with residents, residents’ associations and other stakeholders to ensure communities in high-risk areas receive timely information and understand 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 when preparing for and responding to emergencies.
The flood-mitigation projects, together with the new coordination structure, are expected to strengthen Nairobi’s resilience, improve storm-water management and reduce disruptions caused by flooding during heavy rains.
