NAIROBI, Kenya — Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has given county engineers and contractors 14 days to complete urgent road and drainage works in flood-prone areas as the city prepares for anticipated El Niño rains.
Sakaja directed teams working on County and Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) projects to accelerate ongoing works, with priority given to areas that repeatedly experience flooding during heavy rains.
He issued the directive during a meeting with KURA Director-General Silas Kinoti, county and KURA engineers and contractors at Barabara Plaza in Nairobi.
Sakaja Names Flood Hotspots Priority
Sakaja said the immediate focus should be on known flood hotspots, particularly roads and neighbourhoods that become vulnerable whenever heavy rains hit the capital.
“The weatherman has told us what we need to do, and the El Niño rains are upon us. As we continue with the works we have been doing in the city, let us remember that, for now, the priority is El Niño hotspots,” he said.
The governor urged engineers and contractors to treat the interventions as an emergency rather than routine infrastructure maintenance.
“As you carry out your duties, remember that you are not just doing work; you are saving lives. Your focus must be to work more, do more and, ultimately, save more lives,” Sakaja said.
KURA Given Two-Week Deadline
KURA said it had assigned engineers to specific areas and would ensure the required drainage works are completed within the two-week period.
“We have a schedule for every engineer and their respective work areas. There is no time left, and we must be serious and do what needs to be done,” Kinoti said.
He said drainage works would receive particular attention as the authority seeks to reduce flooding and prevent loss of life during heavy rains.
“The drainage works that are required must be undertaken, and this needs to be done within the next two weeks,” he added.
County, KURA Told to Work Together
Sakaja called for closer coordination between the county government and KURA, saying residents were primarily concerned about whether roads and drainage systems were functioning rather than which government agency was responsible for them.
“Nairobians do not know which road belongs to the national government and which one belongs to the County. All they want to see is work being done,” he said.
The governor said the two levels of government should therefore coordinate their interventions instead of allowing jurisdictional responsibilities to delay urgent works.
Nairobi Races to Beat Heavy Rains
The directive comes as Nairobi teams race to complete interventions in flood-prone areas before the anticipated rains intensify.
Flooding has repeatedly disrupted transport, businesses and residential areas in parts of the capital during periods of heavy rainfall, increasing pressure on authorities to clear drainage channels and address roads vulnerable to waterlogging.
