Sakaja vows to improve Nairobi roads after rainy season

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has given his word that upgrades to the city's roads and drainage infrastructure will kick off after the current rainy season comes to an end.

During an interview on Citizen TV on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, Sakaja addressed ongoing concerns about Nairobi’s inadequate drainage system, which has been blamed for the frequent flooding experienced during periods of heavy rainfall.

He assured residents that noticeable improvements would begin by mid-June 2025.

"In a few months, let the rains subside in mid-June, and you will see a big change. I can promise Nairobians," Sakaja said.

"There is no Governor in this country who does not want all his roads fixed. Why? We also drive on the roads, we live in the cities, and we know the impact of doing so. We want it done, but let’s have the right proper governance structure and financing in the right place."

Sakaja pointed out that Nairobi’s aging drainage infrastructure is no longer adequate for the volume of rainfall the city currently experiences.

He noted that many of the drainage systems were constructed during the colonial era, intended for a much smaller population and a less developed urban landscape.

He further explained that as the city has expanded, more open spaces have been replaced with buildings and paved surfaces, leading to increased surface runoff and more severe flooding.

"The amount of rain that is coming down is higher than ever before. A lot of our drains were designed for a smaller capacity of seasonal rain in the city," he explained.

The Governor also responded to public criticism regarding flooding on major roads such as Mombasa Road and Uhuru Highway.

He clarified that these roads fall under the jurisdiction of the national government, not the Nairobi County administration.

"I haven’t avoided my responsibility. I’ve heard the complaints about Mombasa Road and Uhuru Highway—those are international roads, and they don’t fall under my authority," he stated.

Sakaja emphasized the county’s ongoing efforts to address drainage issues and mitigate flooding.

He revealed that over 3,800 young people have been engaged in clearing garbage and unblocking drains across the city.

Still, he acknowledged that the problem requires more action and pointed to poor coordination between county and national government agencies as a key challenge.

Citing a specific example, the Governor mentioned Ojijo and Kipande Roads in Parklands, which previously experienced regular flooding.

After visiting the site personally, he discovered an incompatibility between drainage systems: a 1.2-meter pipe installed by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) was channeling water into a significantly smaller 0.6-meter pipe on Ojijo Road, creating a bottleneck.

"Basic science tells you there will be a backlog. I urged KeNHA—why not add another 0.6-meter pipe on Kipande Road? That’s why it no longer floods," he explained.

Sakaja also noted that while the county is working to improve roads and drainage, many of the roads in question technically fall under national agencies such as the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KERRA).

Despite this, county governments often face public backlash for problems outside their direct control.

He reiterated views recently expressed by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who had raised concerns about why national government agencies continue to oversee road maintenance within the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).

According to him, such responsibilities should fall under the jurisdiction of county governments.

"You heard the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga raise issues around the Road Maintenance Levy Fund. The funds required to address these problems are still controlled by the national government. Yet, counties have a larger share of roads—about 65%—while the bulk of the resources are still being directed toward national roads," Sakaja said.

He further noted that the dispute over who should manage roads—between the county and national governments—is currently a subject of ongoing court proceedings.