Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has moved to tighten construction activities across the county, giving developers 48 hours to stop mixing cement, sand and ballast at building sites as preparations intensify for the expected El Niño rains.
The order targets construction companies and developers operating in the county, with Nassir warning that the county would take a zero-tolerance approach to on-site mixing.
Speaking on Saturday, September 12, 2026, the governor said developers who already had construction approvals would be given the 48-hour window to use the cement and sand they had already taken to their sites.
“To mix concrete, ballast, and sand and cement at site is no longer acceptable in Mombasa,” Nassir said.
Nassir said the restriction was also aimed at preventing construction materials from being left in places where they could interfere with roads and drainage as rainfall increases.
He said developers who still have ballast after the 48-hour deadline would have to keep it in storage until the county decides how the materials should be handled.
“Within the next 48 hours, anyone who has not consumed their ballast will put it in their store until we now know what needs to be done,” he said.
According to Nassir, construction materials placed along roads could create additional challenges during heavy rains, while trucks delivering the materials could also contribute to traffic congestion.
He said the county was putting the measures in place to safeguard residents and limit avoidable disruption to roads and walkways when the rains arrive.
The governor also raised the possibility of stopping quarrying across Mombasa if rainfall becomes heavier.
“The other issue that we are going to monitor, but there is a possibility that once we see the rains are coming in more and more, all forms of quarrying will be stopped,” he said.
Nassir said the county's Department of Transport would also consult stakeholders on possible limits on heavy commercial vehicles during periods of increased rainfall.
“There are certain categories of vehicles, especially heavy commercial, that will be limited up to a certain time frame as well,” he said.
The county's preparations come as Kenya approaches the October-November-December 2026 rainfall season, which is expected to bring above-normal rainfall in several parts of the country.
Red Cross warns of flood risk
Kenya Red Cross Secretary General Ahmed Idris recently said 46 of Kenya's 47 counties could receive above-normal rainfall during the season.
He warned that the expected rains could raise the risk of floods, landslides, displacement and disease outbreaks in affected areas.
Idris named Mombasa and Nairobi among urban centres at particular risk of flash floods, pointing to the large amount of concrete cover in the cities, which reduces the amount of rainwater that can enter the ground.
“We’re looking at something much bigger in scale,” Ahmed said.
He said heavy rainfall could lead to large amounts of surface water accumulating within a short period, increasing the danger of flooding in urban areas.
The Kenya Red Cross has called on Kenyans to pay attention to the rainfall projections and remain careful around swollen rivers and floodwaters as the country moves towards the peak of the October-November-December 2026 rainy season.