Sakaja: How Nairobi County is preparing for El Nino rains

Kenya Met predicted that heavy rains will be experienced in many parts of Kenya from September 2023 to January 2024. 

In preparation for the rains, Nairobi County government has put in place a Marshal plan to ensure the safety of city residents amid the heavy downpour. 

“The first and most important measure is the cleaning and draining of our drainages to avoid flooding. The recruitment of 3500 environmental officers to clean and unclog the drainages goes a long way to ensure our preparedness for the El Nino rains,” Sakaja said while unveiling the County’s plan on Monday. 

In addition, the governor said he has asked the directorate in the construction sector to map out unsafe buildings, where residents will be evacuated before the flooding begins. 

“We will identify buildings that pose a flooding threat and we will act accordingly, without fear or favour,” he said. 

Another measure that the county government is taking is setting up an emergency number for residents to report El Nino emergencies. The number will be announced later. 

“We've bought 27 new work trucks, fire trucks, flushing units, ambulances, excavators and exhausters,” Sakaja said. 

The County government has also committed to reducing ambulance response time to 9 minutes.