Nairobi Cabinet Approves Bill for 24-Hour Emergency Operations Centre

Nairobi County's Cabinet has greenlit legislation that would set up a round-the-clock Emergency Operations Centre to handle disasters and emergencies across the city. The approval came during a meeting on February 6, 2026, chaired by Governor Johnson Sakaja, who directed the bill to be fast-tracked to the County Assembly for debate and possible enactment.

The proposed Emergency Response Bill, alongside a new Disaster Management Policy, aims to move Nairobi away from reactive handling of crises toward structured preparedness and prevention. If passed, it will create the Nairobi Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (NADEMA), a dedicated body to oversee preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery. NADEMA would bring fire services, ambulances, rescue teams and other first responders under one command during incidents.

Central to the reforms is the 24-hour Emergency Operations Centre, which would serve as a permanent command hub monitoring alerts, coordinating teams and making real-time decisions. Borough-level rapid response units would complement it, allowing quicker deployment in the city's 17 sub-counties. Governor Sakaja described the shift in focus: “Nairobi cannot continue reacting after lives and livelihoods have already been lost. This law focuses on preparation, coordination and prevention.” He added that NADEMA would consolidate emergency response under a single command structure to improve response times.

The bill includes several supporting measures. Counties would have to publish a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan within 60 days of enactment, listing available assets such as fire engines, ambulances, rescue boats and designated shelters. Mandatory risk assessments, flood-prone area mapping, regular building safety audits and technology-based community alert systems would become standard. Public institutions would carry out compulsory emergency drills.

A County Disaster Management Fund is proposed, drawing from budgetary allocations, private sector contributions and donations to enable swift resource mobilisation. In declared disaster situations, the governor would gain limited emergency powers, including evacuation orders and expedited procurement, though subject to constitutional checks and oversight.

The reforms address recurring challenges in Nairobi, where urban fires, flash floods, building collapses and public health crises have repeatedly exposed weaknesses in coordination and speed. Informal settlements and high-density areas often suffer the most from delayed responses, with losses mounting before help arrives. Sakaja's administration has pointed to these incidents as reasons for stronger enforcement of building and land-use standards alongside better public awareness on preparedness.

The bill now heads to the Nairobi County Assembly, where MCAs will scrutinise and potentially amend it before a vote. Passage would mark a significant upgrade to the county's disaster framework, aligning it more closely with national guidelines while tailoring it to urban realities. For the construction sector, stricter audits and risk mapping could mean more routine compliance checks on ongoing and completed builds, particularly in vulnerable zones.