Nairobi Governor Sakaja Announces Relocation Of Residents Due To Expected El Niño Rains

Nairobi Governor, Johnson Sakaja, has announced that the government will begin relocating residents from flood-prone areas on October 9, 2023. This is part of a plan to mitigate the impact of the anticipated El Niño weather phenomenon.

Sakaja said that the Dandora area is one of the areas that will be affected by the relocation exercise. He added that a detailed list of all affected areas will be published in due course.

The governor noted that his administration is working with the National Government’s Interior Ministry and other stakeholders to map out hotspots and make preparations to mitigate the impacts of the El Niño rains.

Sakaja acknowledged that the relocation exercise is likely to face resistance, but he appealed to those who will be affected to cooperate, noting that the exercise will be done in a humane manner and in their own interest.

He also appealed to city residents to dispose of garbage and litter appropriately to avoid blocking drainage systems, which will only make matters worse when the rains come.

In an update on October 27, 2023, Nairobi Chief Officer for Disaster Management and Coordination, Bramwel Simiyu revealed that 436 areas had been mapped as potential flooding hotspots. The areas include Kibra, Mathare, Njiru, Ruai, and Mukuru.