The government has confirmed that UN-Habitat will provide assistance in response to the recent devastating flash floods that have hit Nairobi over the past two weeks.
On Monday, March 16, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei announced on his social media accounts that he had discussed the floods with Oumar Sylla, Director of the Africa Office at UN-Habitat, who confirmed the agency’s commitment to help.
Sing’oei highlighted that UN-Habitat’s involvement will be crucial in addressing the humanitarian and urban management challenges caused by the floods.
The agency will work closely with stakeholders, including the Nairobi County Government, to develop a comprehensive plan aimed at preventing similar disasters in the future.
A second wave of flash floods, triggered by heavy rainfall on Saturday, March 14, disrupted movement across several areas in Nairobi and other parts of the country.
The National Police Service reported on Sunday, March 15, that a total of 66 people have died as a result of the floods, with about half of the victims from Nairobi.
Areas heavily affected in Nairobi included Parklands, the CBD, Ngong Road, Lower Kabete, Kibera, Kilimani, South B, Kawangware, and Lang’ata. The floods were primarily caused by the overflowing of the Nairobi River and Ngong River.
In response, the Nairobi County Government confirmed that county engineers are carrying out a technical evaluation of the city’s flood-prone areas.
Governor Johnson Sakaja has also instructed officials to prepare a 48-hour action plan to address flooding, drainage failures, and damaged infrastructure.
“Look at the assessment already done by the county engineers. Get that validated by KURA, incorporate KeNHA and KeRRA to do some roads in the city. Let us see what support Google and ESRI can provide,” Governor Sakaja said during a meeting with national government agencies at City Hall.
With UN-Habitat joining local authorities in these efforts, Nairobi hopes to strengthen urban resilience and prevent such disasters in the future.
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