Nairobi River cleanup gathers pace as sewer works and pollution control intensify

The Nairobi River cleanup is accelerating as sewer works and pollution control measures intensify across the city. Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo reported on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, that drainage, sewerage, and riverbank interventions are underway at various locations. These include river sewage separation at Globe Roundabout, installation of a 27-kilometre twin trunk sewer at Baba Dogo, widening and dredging of the river at Lucky Summer, and the excavation of sewer trenches at Dandora to expand wastewater treatment infrastructure.

Efforts are also focused on clearing solid waste and restoring drainage channels in Ngomongo, removing riparian encroachments and completing community facilities in Kamukunji, and clearing and levelling riverbanks at Gikomba. The Kariobangi wastewater treatment plant is being expanded to improve downstream wastewater management.

These activities are part of the Nairobi River Basin Regeneration Programme, which covers multiple locations along the river corridor. Young people from settlements along the river have been engaged in waste collection and environmental restoration through the ClimateWorX Mtaani Initiative. Omollo emphasized that the transformation of Nairobi into a smart, modern, and liveable city is closely linked with environmental conservation, and the programme aims to restore the river system into a cleaner, safer, and greener public asset while renewing urban spaces and communities along its banks.