A night of relentless rainfall on Friday brought Nairobi to a standstill, triggering widespread flooding across key urban zones and reigniting public frustration over the county government’s failure to address the city’s chronic drainage problems.
The downpour, which coincided with evening rush hour, submerged major roads including Waiyaki Way, Jogoo Road, Parklands, Upper Hill, and parts of the Central Business District. Footage shared by Kenyans.co.ke showed vehicles stranded on the Nairobi Expressway, with motorists stuck in gridlocked traffic for hours.
Governor Johnson Sakaja came under heavy criticism from residents, many accusing his administration of lacking urgency and long-term planning to mitigate the perennial flooding that plagues the capital during rainy seasons.
“This is not the image of a modern capital city,” lamented one commuter, echoing sentiments shared widely across social media platforms.
In response to the chaos, Nairobi County’s Chief Officer for Environment, Geoffrey Mosiria, attributed the flooding to blocked drainage systems caused by illegal waste disposal and unregulated construction.
“Many residents dispose of waste into these drains, leading to blockages. In other cases, buildings have been erected on top of drainage lines,” Mosiria said in a video statement released Friday.
He urged Nairobians to take collective responsibility for the city’s welfare, emphasizing the need for proper waste management and respect for public infrastructure.
Mosiria assured residents that the county government was working “around the clock” to unclog drainage systems and had partnered with the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to restore road access.
Despite these assurances, Governor Sakaja had yet to issue an official statement by Saturday morning, even as signs of normalcy began returning to some affected areas.
The flooding incident has once again exposed Nairobi’s vulnerability to climate-related disruptions and the urgent need for sustainable urban planning. With the rainy season underway, residents and stakeholders are calling for immediate action—not just reactive cleanups, but structural reforms to prevent future disasters.
By Kenyans