Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has outlined measures to address Nairobi’s recurring flood problem, suggesting that deepening and expanding the city’s major rivers is key. His proposal follows recent heavy rains that caused devastating floods, leaving at least 23 people dead and numerous properties destroyed.
In a video statement on March 10, Babu blamed poor planning and mismanagement for the severity of the floods, arguing that Nairobi County’s leadership under Johnson Sakaja failed to prepare adequately despite warnings from the Kenya Meteorological Department. He noted that while rainfall cannot be controlled, better infrastructure and planning could reduce its impact.
The MP stressed that Nairobi’s drainage system is currently too shallow to handle heavy stormwater, and urged that it be expanded and improved.
“I want to tell Nairobians that to cure the issue of flooding in Nairobi is very simple….You have to work on the drainage. The drainage system that is there they are very shallow and therefore they have to be expanded and deepened,” he said.
Beyond drainage, Babu emphasized the need to strengthen the city’s three main rivers—Ngong River, Mathare River, and Nairobi River—to prevent them from overflowing into estates like South B, South C, and parts of Mathare. He argued that by deepening and expanding these waterways, stormwater could be redirected more effectively, reducing flood risk across Nairobi.
