Nairobi allocates Sh2bn for emergency drainage works

The Nairobi City County Government (NCCG) has allocated Sh2 billion for drainage and flood mitigation works across the capital, as municipal authorities move to prepare urban infrastructure for expected heavy rainfall in October.

County officials confirmed that multiple infrastructure projects aimed at improving stormwater flow are currently at an advanced stage of planning and execution, with contracts and tenders already awarded to selected engineering firms.

The budgetary intervention comes ahead of predicted El Niño rains, which forecasters expect will cause severe flooding across low-lying areas, key commercial corridors, and dense residential estates in the metropolis.

Engineers and municipal teams are targeting high-risk areas prone to severe stormwater accumulation, focusing on expanding existing underground conduits, clearing blocked stormwater drains, and constructing reinforced concrete channels to direct run-off away from vulnerable settlements.

The capital has long struggled with inadequate drainage infrastructure during high-volume rainfall events, when clogged channels regularly overflow, causing widespread traffic gridlock and damaging residential property throughout the city.

Municipal authorities indicated that contractors will expedite site operations over the coming weeks to complete critical structural enhancements before the heavy rains commence, while maintenance crews continue clearing silt and debris from primary arterial waterways.