Lawmakers have questioned Kenya’s environmental regulator over its role in preventing flooding after heavy rains killed dozens and flooded neighborhoods across the city over the past two weeks.
- •Members of the Environment, Forestry and Mining Committee of the National Assembly of Kenya summoned officials from the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) pressing Director-General Mamo Mamo to explain why Nairobi continues to suffer widespread flooding and blocked drainage systems following recent downpours.
- •At least 66 people have died nationwide over the past week, according to police, with about half of the deaths reported in Nairobi, where flash floods have submerged roads, damaged infrastructure and forced more than 2,000 residents to flee their homes.
- •Authorities say swollen rivers have burst their banks, flooding homes and damaging roads, power lines and water infrastructure across parts of the country.
During the parliamentary session, committee members argued that NEMA, which is mandated to enforce environmental regulations, bears responsibility for allowing environmental risks to escalate in the capital
“This appears to be a NEMA issue, however planning and the behavior of the people of Nairobi comes in. NEMA can't run away, you are part of the problem because at some point you approve illegal buildings and you don't follow up on enforcement,” the committee chair, Vincent Musyoka told the regulator.
Lawmakers also asked what steps the authority was taking to clear blocked drainage channels and address flood risks in the city.
Responding to the committee, Mr. Mamo said one of the main challenges was the age of Nairobi’s drainage infrastructure, much of which dates back to the 1970s, long before the city’s rapid population growth and urban expansion.
He also cited informal settlements that lack sewer systems, leaving waste to flow directly into the Nairobi River and other waterways. The situation is worsened by dumping sites near river corridors and widespread encroachment on riparian land.
The Challenge Ahead
A recent mapping exercise under the Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Programme identified 37 neighborhoods as highly vulnerable to flooding, particularly those along river corridors and low-lying areas. Among the locations flagged were Kiambiu, Dandora, Kariobangi, Kayole, Komarock, Ruai, Mwiki and Donholm in eastern Nairobi, while western districts such as Lang’ata,
Kawangware, Kangemi, Westlands, Parklands and Lavington were also listed among high-risk zones.
Densely populated settlements in the north, including Mathare and Korogocho, were identified as especially vulnerable due to their proximity to the Mathare River, while commercial areas in the central business district, Eastleigh, Gikomba and the Industrial Area were also cited as flood-prone because sections of the Nairobi River run through them.
“We see urbanization coming with a number of construction sites coming up very fast in Nairobi. Those who break the law must be dealt with. All buildings erected on riparian land must be brought down,” said Joseph Emathe, the member of parliament for Turkana Central.
Another legislator, Joseph Wainaina, recalled the cleanup campaign of former Environment Minister John Michuki, whose enforcement efforts in the 2000s were widely credited with restoring parts of the Nairobi River.
“I remember how clean the river looked at the time the late Michuki was in charge. Today everything looks dirty. People are sleeping around the river and that is a recipe for environmental problems,” Wainaina said.
NEMA has been urged to work with the Nairobi City County Government and the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company to address the city’s deteriorating drainage and sanitation systems. Festus Ng'eno, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Environment and Climate Change, told lawmakers that staffing shortages have limited NEMA’s ability to enforce environmental regulations.
