Nairobi, the 'green city under the sun' marooned by floods

Once referred to as a green city under the sun, mud-filled and impassable roads, blocked drainages, and flooded homes is what a section of city dwellers woke up to on Sunday morning. 

The heavy rains from Saturday night have visibly left a trail of destruction in parts of the city. 

In Langata road, flood waters had filled the T Mall roundabout until Sunday morning. 

The same was witnessed in South C, Mombasa road, Kajiado, Parklands, Syokimau and Kangundo road. 

A section of the Raila Odinga road was also flooded as of Sunday morning. 

The Kenya Red Cross reports that it has received a distress call from Syokimau, and a team has been dispatched to Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Fuata Nyayo, Land Mawe and Mukuru Kayaba areas. 

Residents evacuated from Elite Court along Ole Dume Road in Kilimani as heavy rains continue to pound several parts of the county. pic.twitter.com/v3MwjAfq8g

The state of the city has attracted uproar, with leaders calling on Nairobi County to swing into action. 

“The Nairobi City County MCAs are helplessly sharing images asking for help for their constituents marooned in floods all over the county,” Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai shared on X, blaming the County Executive for lack of disaster preparedness. 

The Kenya Meteorological Department predicts that the heavy rains will persist until April 22. 

“Rainfall to persist across various regions with heavy downpours expected in Central Highlands, Western Kenya, Rift Valley, South-eastern lowlands, Coast, and North-eastern Kenya,” Kenya Met said in an update on Saturday.