Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko on Tuesday launched a Sh400 Million project to end flooding in the city.
Together with Cabinet Secretary for Transport James Macharia, Governor Sonko oversaw the commencement of a stormwater drain flushing machine at the Sunken Car Park along Harambee Avenue.
Kenyans.co.ke has established that a flushing machine is a modern equipment used to clean and unclog the drainage system by radiant heating system. The exercise is done with the help of chemicals and high water pressure that has the capacity to deal with flooding disasters.
[caption caption="Stormwater drain flushing machine"]
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“The machines will work faster as no manual labour will be required. They will help clear the blocked drainage as the country is still expecting heavy rains,” Sonko stated.
Chinese company Jiangxi Water and Hydropower Construction has been contracted to unblock the drainages with one pressure machine estimated to cost of Ksh25 Million.
[caption caption="Sonko and Macharia on Tuesday"]
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CS Macharia stated that Nairobi had been allocated 75 percent of the Ksh500 Million World Bank-funded project.
“We need to make sure that drainage systems are unclogged so that Kenyans do not suffer anymore from flooding in the city and estates so this machine has come at the right time,” he conveyed adding that Machakos, Kajiado and Kiambu counties were also set to benefit from the initiative.
Earlier on Tuesday, the two jointly launched the racecourse footbridge that would be used by pedestrians to cross Nairobi River,
Sonko noted that residents had been struggling to cross the bridge using unsafe means thereby putting their lives at great risk.
"Nairobi City County Government has constructed Ngara Road terminus. The area is one of the newly gazetted PSV terminus aimed at decongesting our city by giving room for the free flow of traffic.
"We also have various ongoing County infrastructure projects i.e Wahu road in Dagoretti Corner, Upendo road in Mathare, Maji Mazuri in Kasarani, New Donholm road, Kirichwa Garden Road, Likoni link road and many others, tupee time (give us time) and you will see major infrastructure development in our city," Sonko stated.
[caption caption="Sonko, Macharia and Starehe MP Charles Njangua"]
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Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the weatherman disclosed that several parts of the country will continue receiving moderate rainfall for the next seven days.
"Heavy rainfall is expected over parts of the Central Highlands, Nairobi, Western, South Rift, Northeast and Southeastern lowlands from today to Friday morning," Kenya Meteorological Department director Peter Ambenje conveyed.
