Why Nairobi’s drainage can’t handle heavy rains - Governor Sakaja explains

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has attributed the persistent flooding in the city to outdated drainage systems and a lack of resources at the county level, pointing fingers at the national government for holding onto crucial road maintenance funds.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s JKLive show on Wednesday night, Sakaja said most of the drainage systems in the capital were built to accommodate light, seasonal rainfall—not the intense, prolonged downpours currently being experienced.

“The sheer amount of rain that is coming down is higher than ever before, and a lot of our drains were designed for a smaller capacity or for seasonal rain in the city,” he said.

To mitigate the flooding, Sakaja highlighted efforts by the county government, including the deployment of a 3,800-strong “Green Army” made up of youth tasked with garbage collection and clearing drainage blockages.

However, he admitted that these efforts aren’t enough, and called for long-term structural fixes.

Citing Ojijo and Kipande Roads in Parklands, areas historically prone to flooding, the Governor pointed out flawed infrastructure design.

He blamed the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) for constructing an outlet that narrows into a smaller pipe, causing water to back up during rain season.

“In Ojijo Road and Kipande Road in Parklands, there was always flooding there. I took a walk and went there. Ojijo Road has a 1.2-meter drainage,” he said.

“When KeNHA did Thika Road, they created a drainage that connects to a 0.6-meter drainage on Ojijo Road. Science will tell you, there will be a backlog. So, I implored on KeNHA to complete their job and add another 0.6 meter on Kipande Road…to date it doesn’t flood.”

The city boss argued that while counties are responsible for over 65% of the country’s road network, the national government retains full control over the Road Maintenance Levy Fund, which is financed through fuel purchases.

According to Sakaja, these funds are mostly used for national roads, leaving counties financially incapacitated.

“The resources to sort these things out are still held by the national government. Everyone who buys fuel pays the (road maintenance) levy; it is to fix roads. In our country we have two main categories of roads; national roads and county roads,” he said.

“County roads are more than 65% of all the roads, but all that money goes to only national roads. There’s Ksh.10.5 billion that has now been held—it was frozen by the courts—that should sort that issue,” he added, referencing ongoing legal disputes over control and allocation of road maintenance funds.

Sakaja echoed sentiments made by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga calling for decentralization of road agencies like the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), questioning why such bodies are still operating within Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD).

“When I heard, and I was away, the former Prime Minister saying that all these agencies should be under counties…why is the Kenya Rural Roads Authority doing roads in the CBD of Nairobi?” The Governor posed.

“That discussion must be hard, and we have a matter in court. We know what must be done, but the resources that are needed to expand that drainage are what must come to counties.”

Sakaja’s remarks come after President William Ruto called on Senators and Members of Parliament to grant him the permission to control the disbursement of the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF).

Speaking during a Sunday service in Narok County, President Ruto said that the legislators should bring their ongoing tiff over the fund's control to an end and allow him to pioneer its disbursement.

He argued that there is dire need to construct roads across the nation and the funds being at his disposal will allow for easy disbursement and oversight.

"If you leave it to me I can gather funds enough to build all roads because the money you distribute allows you to build only a small portion and then it is destroyed by rains so I urge you to allow me to plan for that money in the way it can benefit Kenyans more than how it is currently being utilised," said Ruto.