NEMA cautions on risks of Sh40bn Nairobi Rivers redevelopment

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has cautioned that the planned Nairobi Rivers Basin redevelopment could expose the city to fresh problems including flooding, air contamination, noise and displacement of households if safeguards are not followed.

The initiative, valued at Sh40 billion and spearheaded by President William Ruto, proposes to dredge the rivers, extend the banks, upgrade sewerage plants and redesign landscapes across the basin.

According to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notice issued on Monday, September 9, the scheme is projected to run until 2027.

The plans feature a major expansion of the Kariobangi treatment facility through a new 60,000m³ per day unit and a revamp of the Kirichwa West system.

These upgrades are intended to improve Nairobi’s waste management network and reduce recurrent flooding and erosion in parts of the city including along the Mathare, Ngong and Nairobi rivers.

Still, the authority has highlighted a number of dangers. It warns that “soil erosion and sedimentation” are likely during dredging and that “improper connectivity, river dredging, widening riverbank protection and stabilisation” could heighten the risk of downstream flooding and heavy silt deposits.

Air quality is also expected to deteriorate from dust clouds, exhaust fumes and bad odours. NEMA has recommended spraying bare ground to suppress dust and ensuring vehicles and machinery are not left idling unnecessarily.

In addition, construction noise is expected to affect communities bordering the project areas.

The agency has further noted possible chemical and waste spills, stating that leaks of paints, fuel, sewage or oils into drains or directly into rivers could occur. It has directed that all storage sites must be secured and bunded, with spill response kits available at every work station to avoid contamination.

The social impact of the project is also under review, with fears that people living on riparian land could be moved out. The report specifies that a 30-metre buffer on each side of the river must be preserved, a provision that could displace those settled within the corridors.

Areas bordering the Kariobangi treatment works such as Kariobangi North, Dandora, Baba Dogo and Mathare are expected to be most directly affected.

These neighbourhoods have endured years of pollution and flooding, and while the new system may ease pressure on ageing infrastructure, the planned widening of riverbanks is likely to trigger fresh concerns over resettlement in informal settlements.

The Kirichwa West works will extend to estates such as Riverside, Kileleshwa, Kilimani and sections of Upper Hill, where the overstretched facility has failed to keep up with demand.

A year ago, the government assured the public that no one would be removed from riparian land without compensation after residents staged demonstrations. It remains uncertain if that commitment will be honoured in this latest project.

NEMA has further advised that work schedules be staggered to “minimise simultaneous access blockages at the same locality.” It has also tasked the Ministry of Defence, which will be engaged in the works, to ensure there is no direct discharge of waste into rivers.

The authority has invited Kenyans to give their opinions on the proposal before it is cleared. Public feedback will be received within 30 days under reference number NEMA/EIA/5/2/2345.