Gov't to fast-track Nairobi River regeneration through National Infrastructure Fund

The commitment emerged during an oversight inspection by the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation, led by Chairperson Bowen David Kangogo, which toured key project sites across Nairobi to assess progress, financing requirements, and operational challenges.

Hosted by AWWDA Chief Executive Officer Joseph Kamau, the committee reviewed ongoing interventions, including sewerage upgrades, river rehabilitation, wastewater treatment expansion, flood mitigation systems, and ecological restoration, forming part of a broader strategy to address Nairobi’s long-standing sanitation and drainage challenges.

Speaking during the inspection, Eng. Kamau said the works represent a comprehensive infrastructure response aimed at tackling the root causes of river pollution and flooding.

“What we are implementing is a comprehensive infrastructure response - designed not only to clean the Nairobi River, but to fix the underlying sewerage and drainage systems that have allowed pollution and flooding to persist for decades,” he said.

At Dandora Falls and the Dandora Estate Wastewater Treatment Plant, the committee inspected ongoing engineering works, including rehabilitation of inlet systems, expansion of treatment capacity, and upgrades to pumping infrastructure.

Lawmakers noted that the existing facilities are under mounting pressure from increased wastewater inflows from Nairobi and neighbouring towns such as Kikuyu, underscoring the urgency of investing in modern and resilient treatment systems.

The Nairobi Rivers Engineering Works, part of a wider basin-wide rehabilitation initiative, are intended to transform the river corridor into functional blue-green infrastructure capable of reducing flood risks while generating environmental and socio-economic benefits.

However, a major hurdle remains a Ksh.3 billion funding gap needed to construct lateral sewer lines that would intercept raw sewage currently flowing into the river.

The committee expressed confidence that financing through the National Infrastructure Fund will bridge the shortfall and sustain momentum on the project.

Kamau said the long-term objective is to build infrastructure capable of supporting wastewater reuse, energy recovery, and the demands of Nairobi’s rapidly growing population.

“This is about building forward-looking infrastructure—systems that support wastewater reuse, enable energy recovery, and meet the demands of a rapidly growing city. It is a shift from reactive clean-up to engineered resilience,” he said.

Legislators also stressed the need for complementary regulatory measures, including stronger enforcement against riparian land encroachment and tighter controls on solid waste disposal.

They noted that infrastructure investment alone will not be sufficient unless matched by sustained environmental enforcement.

Backed by renewed financing commitments and coordinated support from multiple government agencies, the Nairobi River regeneration programme is being positioned as a long-term, infrastructure-led solution to one of the capital’s most persistent environmental challenges.