Sakaja: Nairobi Ready for El Niño as County Mobilises Multi-Agency Response

By Josphat Moracha

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has assured the Senate that the county is taking early measures to prepare for the expected El Niño rains, with forecasts indicating the rainy conditions could persist from October to February. Appearing before the Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds, chaired by Taita Taveta Senator Johnes Mwaruma, Sakaja said the county had formed a multi-agency team bringing together the Kenya Red Cross, KURA, KeNHA, KeRRA and disaster management teams to coordinate preparedness and response.

Sakaja said drainage works were ongoing along Mombasa Road and other identified flood hotspots, with the various agencies expected to intervene depending on their respective mandates. He added that the county has established an emergency response centre and dedicated contacts for residents to report emergencies, while rescue centres have also been identified in readiness for possible evacuations. Sakaja said many residents living in riparian areas had already relocated, urging those who remain to move to safer areas before the rains intensify.

The Governor urged Nairobi residents to heed government advisories and take precautionary measures to protect lives and property. He said the county’s Green Army teams were continuing to unclog and clear drainage systems across the city as part of the preparations. “We don’t want to lose lives. The lives we have so far lost should not recur. Let’s listen to government messaging and what to do,” Sakaja said, stressing that early preparation and cooperation between residents and government agencies would be critical in managing the expected rains.