Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has directed the immediate evacuation of 3,000 people, primarily women and children, to temporary shelters as the Kenyan capital grapples with severe flooding that has claimed four lives and left six others missing.
An estimated 60,000 residents have been severely affected by the flash floods, which have inundated several informal settlements and disrupted transport networks across the city.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Governor Sakaja painted a grim picture of the situation, revealing that areas like Kibra, Lindi, Mathare, Baba Dogo, Githurai, and Zimmerman have been adversely affected by the flooding. “Our mission this morning was to see the extent of the flooding, to hear from some of the people affected, get a glimpse into the scale and scope of the response and interventions from the joint team provided by Nairobi county,” he said.
The governor outlined the widespread damage caused by the bursting of riverbanks, including the flooding of Mbagathi Roundabout, Ectoville Industrial Estate, Mwiki Ward, and residential areas in Westlands Sub-County. Several bridges and roads, including Raila Odinga Road, Jogoo Road, Enterprise Road, and Langata Road, have been rendered impassable, disrupting traffic and human movement.
Sakaja acknowledged the looming humanitarian crisis but emphasized the coordinated response efforts underway. “Although we are on the brink of a humanitarian crisis, there is a large-scale coordinated response operation ongoing under my strong leadership,” he stated.
The governor has mobilized various emergency response teams, including the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, Health, Wellness and Nutrition, Mobility and Works, and Disaster Management teams, to provide support and manage the situation. Heavy machinery, such as backhoes, wheel loaders, flushing units, and excavators, have been deployed to the affected areas.
“Our partners are supporting these efforts by delivering food assistance, drinking water, cash, emergency drugs, water purification tablets, dignity and hygiene kits, and education support to the affected families,” Sakaja said, highlighting the collaboration with aid organizations like the Red Cross.
In addition to the evacuation order, the governor has suspended all excavations along riparian areas and directed inhabitants along riverbeds and high-risk areas to relocate immediately. He has also called upon road construction agencies to expedite the rehabilitation and maintenance of various roads in the city to avert further crises.
