Sakaja orders evacuation of Nairobi riparian residents ahead of El NiÑo rains
Sakaja has also directed multi-agency teams to accelerate drainage clearance and flood mitigation works across the city, warning against political interference in the ongoing preparedness efforts.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has instructed the evacuation of residents residing in high-risk riverbanks as the city readies for anticipated El Niño rains. He has also tasked multi-agency groups to expedite drainage cleaning and flood defense operations throughout the metropolis, emphasizing the need for unity in response efforts.
During a meeting with representatives from national and county disaster response organizations, the governor emphasized the importance of a unified command structure to streamline communication and ensure a coordinated reaction to possible flooding. Entities participating in these efforts comprise the National Government Administration Officers, National Police Service, Kenya Urban Roads Authority, Kenya National Highways Authority, Kenya Red Cross, Green Nairobi, disaster management units, and Nairobi borough administrations.
The governor called for a coordinated approach, specifying that all agencies should operate under “one team, one command, one control and one direction.” He ordered the agencies to accelerate ongoing drainage, desilting, and other flood mitigation works, prioritizing identified flood-prone areas in Nairobi. Furthermore, the governor mandated the evacuation of residents living in vulnerable riparian zones along the Mathare, Ngong, and Nairobi rivers, asserting that safeguarding riparian land was non-negotiable as the county anticipates heavy rainfall.
These directives come as Nairobi boosts its disaster preparedness measures in anticipation of increased precipitation during the October-December rainy season. The county government aims to enhance coordination among national and county agencies to mitigate potential flooding impacts on residents and infrastructure. To achieve this, the latest measures prioritize clearing drainage systems, addressing flood-prone zones, and relocating individuals from locations deemed vulnerable to flooding.
The governor urged the multi-agency teams to stay focused on their duties, despite perceived political interference, stressing the critical need for unified action prior to the arrival of the rains.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
