Sakaja reports 80 percent completion of Nairobi River clearance as Ksh.5B road works continue

Sakaja, who presented Nairobi’s preparedness report during a National Development Implementation Committee meeting at the Kenya School of Government, said road and drainage projects valued at KSh5 billion were also underway across the capital.

The projects, being implemented in collaboration with the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), include road construction and rehabilitation, tarmacking, drainage works and pedestrian walkways.

“Infrastructure works worth KSh5 billion are underway in Nairobi, involving KeNHA and KURA. They include tarmacking, construction of drainage systems and walkways, among other interventions. We are optimistic that the ongoing works will continue before, during and after the El Niño rains to ensure the city is better prepared,” Sakaja said.

He identified Mombasa Road, Thika Road, Lang’ata Road, Ngong Road and Kangundo Road among the major roads requiring attention, noting that the works fall under national government road agencies.

The governor called for closer coordination between national and county government agencies to ensure projects are completed on time and critical interventions are in place before heavy rains intensify.

On river rehabilitation, Sakaja said county teams had undertaken desilting, deepening of river channels and removal of obstructions along the Nairobi, Mathare and Ngong rivers. The works also involve restoring riparian corridors to improve water flow and reduce the risk of flooding.

He said 20 per cent of the river clearance work remained outstanding, requiring continued deployment of personnel and coordination among the agencies involved.

Sakaja also urged the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to strengthen enforcement against plastic pollution, saying county teams had encountered large quantities of plastic waste while clearing rivers and drainage channels.

“In our efforts to clean and unclog the waterways and rivers, we have found a lot of plastic waste. We call upon NEMA to address this. Plastics were banned, but their use and disposal remain a challenge. This needs to be addressed,” he said.

Plastic waste dumped in waterways and drainage systems can obstruct water flow, increasing the risk of flooding during heavy rainfall. Sakaja called for stronger enforcement against improper disposal and urged residents and businesses to manage their waste responsibly.

The county is continuing river clearance and drainage works as part of its preparations for the rainy season, with the remaining rehabilitation work and ongoing infrastructure projects expected to play a role in reducing flood risks across Nairobi.

The extent to which the outstanding works will be completed before the rains intensify will depend on the pace of implementation and coordination between the national and county governments.