Nairobi County gov’t hires 3,500 youth in El Nino preparedness plan

The Nairobi County government has dispatched 3,500 new recruits to assist in cleaning the city as part of its El Nino preparedness plan.

The plan includes hiring of the said youth to join the green Nairobi team tasked with daily cleaning of the city, unclogging and cleaning of drainages and garbage collection among other activities to keep the city clean.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said his administration has put forward plans to avert the hazardous impacts of the looming above-average rain, leading to floods.

Sakaja said that the timely unclogging of the drainage systems will allow steady flow of water to avoid blockages and lower risks of flooding.

He added that all county sectors in the 17 sub-counties will be reporting to sub-county administrators to return Nairobi to a shining jewellery.

The county’s environment sector also mapped out disaster hotspot areas that are prone to flooding and deployed effective green team to unclog the blocked drainages.

“We have mapped out disaster hotspots and deployed green Nairobi team to unclog blocked drainages. We also have an emergency number that you will be required to call in case of emergencies. It is a fully fledged emergency call centre,” said the Governor.

He also ordered the demolition of illegal structures established along riparian lands and drainage trenches that could lead to disastrous effects during the El Niño climate phenomenon.

“All illegal structures put up along drainages are going to be demolished. We can’t risk the lives of thousands of Nairobians at the expense of protecting the business of one person,” he stated.

Sakaja also flagged off 50 trucks, 6 fire engines, 7 flushing units, 5 ambulances, 10 excavators, 5 exhausters and 2 fully-fledged mobile workshops for emergencies as mitigation measures to aid in combating the El Nino risks.

The Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company appended measures to provide essential services in unclogging and cleaning drainages.

Experts have warned that the looming wetter-than-usual condition will lead to potential floods, landslides and other natural disasters.