City Hall rolls out Sh2.4bn plan to tame El Niño floods

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja when he appeared before the Senate Committee on National Security at Bunge Towers on July 23, 2026./DOUGLAS OKIDDY

The Nairobi county government has rolled out a Sh2.4 billion flood-mitigation programme involving desilting of rivers, expanding drainage capacity and mobilising a multi-agency response team as the capital braces for El Niño rains.

Governor Johnson Sakaja said the county had identified major flood hotspots and was working with key state agencies to prepare for the rains.

The agencies include the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura), Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), Kenya Red Cross and the Nairobi Rivers Commission.

The county's intervention includes construction of outfall drains, clearing blocked drainage channels, desilting rivers and preparing emergency shelters for residents who may have to be evacuated.