As heavy rains pound parts of Kenya, nature is reclaiming its spaces with many residents displaced, roads submerged and the poor drainage system spewing waste matter in some neighbourhoods.
Consequently the Nairobi County has issued a vacation notice to all those with structures on riparian land. The county blames the flooding to construction of estates, buildings and other structures on top of rivers, along riparian reserves and reclaimed river sections.
“We urge all those who have built in these areas to vacate. The county will commence effort to open up rivers where they have been encroached to reduce the impact of excess waters”.
Patrick Akivaga- Acting County Secretary Nairobi County
The county has dispatched its emergency teams who include the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage company, health,wellness and nutrition, mobility and works and disaster management teams to affected areas.
The county is asking residents living near riverbanks to be alert, and has warned residents to avoid unnecessary travel in flood prone areas.
Weather experts issued an advisory on heavy rainfall in the month of April across the country. It warned of potential floods even in areas where it has not rained heavily. The meteorological department in the advisory asked those downstream to take extra care.
In Machakos county, the county began evacuating residents at the Great Wall apartments in syokimau whose houses flood.
The 360 degree apartments in Syokimau are prime property in a gated community with most tenants having purchased them from a private developer. Their construction was a subject of litigation following a petition by the locals protesting the diversion of waterways into nearby streams during construction and for erecting a concrete wall blocking the flow of storm water.
