Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson has ordered engineers and contractors working on county and KURA projects to complete urgent drainage and road works within 14 days, warning that there is no time to slow down as the city prepares for the anticipated El Niño rains.
Sakaja said the immediate focus should be on neighbourhoods and roads that have a history of flooding, directing teams to speed up works already underway and ensure key interventions are completed before the rains intensify.
The Governor issued the directive on Thursday during a meeting at Barabara Plaza in Nairobi attended by KURA Director-General Eng. Silas Kinoti, county and KURA engineers and contractors.
He said ongoing projects across Nairobi must now be guided by the areas facing the greatest risk, with El Niño hotspots receiving priority as preparations for the rains continue.
“The weatherman has told us what we need to do, and the El Niño rains are upon us. As we continue with the works we have been doing in the city, let us remember that, for now, the priority is El Niño hotspots,” Sakaja said.
Sakaja urged the teams handling the projects to approach the works with the understanding that their efforts could help protect residents during the rainy season.
“As you carry out your duties, remember that you are not just doing work; you are saving lives. Your focus must be to work more, do more and, ultimately, save more lives,” he said.
He also called for closer cooperation between the County Government and national agencies involved in road and drainage projects, saying residents were less concerned about the ownership of roads than whether the infrastructure was functioning.
“Nairobians do not know which road belongs to the national government and which one belongs to the County. All they want is to see work being done. So let us work together and demonstrate the seriousness that this situation demands. We cannot let our people down,” he said.
The Governor specifically directed engineers and contractors to identify roads and residential areas where flooding has been a recurring problem and make them the first target for urgent works.
“The roads and areas that people constantly complain about — those that flood whenever it rains — must be our priority. We need to focus more on these hotspots so that we can address them in time. Given the urgency, we need to move much faster,” Sakaja said.
Kinoti told the meeting that KURA had already divided the work among its engineers, with each officer assigned particular areas to oversee.
“We have a schedule for every engineer and their respective work areas. There is no time left, and we must be serious and do what needs to be done. The drainage works that are required must be undertaken, and this needs to be done within the next two weeks,” Kinoti said.
He said KURA would increase its efforts on the affected roads while giving drainage infrastructure particular attention as the city approaches the rainy period.
“Governor, we assure you that we shall do our best as KURA to take our work seriously and complete what needs to be done, from drainage works to roads, before the rains. Our main focus is on drainage works. We want to ensure that we do everything possible to prevent loss of life,” Kinoti said.
The directive puts the completion of critical drainage and road projects within a 14-day window, with county and KURA teams expected to concentrate their efforts on known flood hotspots as Nairobi prepares for the anticipated rains.