A night of heavy rainfall resulted in flooding in key areas of Nairobi, bringing out the full rage of Nairobians who expressed their frustrations over the county government’s failure to address the perennial issue.
Coinciding with the evening rush hour, the heavy rains brought areas such as the Central Business District, Westlands, Parklands and Upper Hill to a standstill, disrupting transport and commercial activities.
The floods caused disruption to transport, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded and motorists stuck in traffic jams on city roads for hours.
Footage obtained by Kenyans.co.ke showed the Nairobi Expressway, Mombasa Road, Waiyaki, Jogoo Road and several roads in Parklands and other areas flooded after the heavy downpour, painting a picture that should not be typically associated with a nation’s capital.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja bore the brunt of the frustrations of city dwellers, with the governor accused of not bringing long-term reform to curb the perennial flooding witnessed during such times.
Affected residents also lamented about the lack of immediate action by the county to assist in curbing the impact of the floods, noting that it was a sign of poor leadership from the governor.
In the chaos, motorists were forced to seek alternative routes, with this leading to greater traffic disruptions in the city environs. Busy roads such as Thika Road and Kiambu Road saw huge traffic jams, with traffic police almost helpless in dealing with the havoc that the floods had caused.
The residents’ frustrations attracted the attention of Geoffrey Mosiria, the Chief Officer for Environment, blaming the floods on drainage blockage, urging Nairobians to cease the unlawful dumping of waste.
Speaking in a video released on Friday, October 3, Mosiria acknowledged the massive flooding but noted that the city’s welfare was a collective responsibility, not just the county government’s.
Mosiria noted that the dumping of waste to drains is what caused flooding in times of heavy rainfall, as the rainwater did not have an outlet. Also, the county official cited illegal construction on top of sewer and drainage lines as a key cause of the flooding.
“The rains have started, and Nairobi is now experiencing heavy rainfall. Many residents dispose of waste into these drains, leading to blockages, while in other cases, illegal construction has taken place on top of drainage lines,” he said.
“My message to the people of Nairobi is simple: let us all be responsible citizens. Proper waste disposal and respecting public infrastructure are key to preventing floods and protecting lives and property,” Mosiria added.
In addition, Mosiria assured Nairobians that the county government would work around the clock to ensure that the blocked drainages were cleared.
“The Nairobi County Government is working around the clock to unclog these drainage systems. We are also collaborating with KURA and KeNHA to ensure that major roads and highways remain passable by clearing blocked drains,” he noted.
Governor Sakaja is yet to issue an official statement regarding the matter, as signs of normalcy return to most of the affected areas.
