Kenya is securing riparian encroached spaces along the Nairobi River to make the rivers clean and safe to protect the lives of Kenyans.

According to the Nairobi North Sub Region County Commissioner Simon Osumba, Nairobi River, Mathare River and Ngong River need to be reclaimed for restoration and revitalising, a call that requires those who have put up structures or settled within the protected corridors to move out.

Osumba said Nairobi Rivers Commission will be giving out notices to owners of buildings along the Ngong River to enable the Commission implement the Regeneration plan and projects smoothly. 

“If the riparian land was not encroached, there will be no loss of life and property as witnessed recently during the last heavy rains that caused the death of 37 people in Nairobi Region,” he said.

Speaking during National Government Development-Regional/County Implementation Coordination and Management Committee meeting he was chairing at Nyayo House Building, the county commissioner noted that the encroachment of the riparian land caused great havoc during the heavy rains along the globe roundabout bridge, creating traffic jam and flooding that caused loss of life.

“Nairobi County government is currently unclogging the Nairobi River with support from other agencies,” Osumba said.

He added that families affected by the heavy floods were provided with food and non-food items.

According to the Nairobi Rivers Commission, the reclaiming of riparian reserves will pave way for trunk sewer lines being constructed on both sides of the rivers to address pollution largely caused by untreated sewage and storm water discharge, it will also curb pollution and contaminated water flowing downstream to Machakos, Makueni and Mombasa Counties.

Briefing the committee on the 24.5 kilometre road performance-based maintenance of the Outering-Kangundo-Kamulu funded by the government in Nairobi County, Eng Wilfred Langat from Kenya National Highways Authority (KenHA) informed the committee that the works is complete while the 10.6 kilometre Muthaiga-Kiambu road is at 45.72 per cent and progressing well.

Langat also told the committee that road works is on-going in various constituencies within the county that were allocated funds for Financial Year 2025/2026.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Bernadette Khaduli