Kenya Floods Expose Nairobi's Vulnerability

Kenya's capital, Nairobi, has become flooded as rainfall persist without respite for six weeks with devastating impacts.

Over 120 lives have been lost including at least 50 in a deluge on Monday in an area about 60km (37 miles) from Nairobi.

Although it is rainy season, there has been far more rainfall than what is normally expected, which has been put down to the El Niño weather phenomenon.

Flooding in Nairobi is a recurrent issue, but this year's inundation has underscored deeper issues with the city's development. According to Professor Alfred Omenya, an expert in urban planning and environment, attempts to control nature have proven futile. 

The city's expansion, now home to 4.5 million residents from a mere 100,000 a century ago, has outpaced infrastructure development. Much of Nairobi sprawls over the floodplain of the Nairobi River, with numerous other waterways traversing its terrain. 

Insufficient drainage systems, with less than half of the population connected to sewage networks, exacerbate the problem. Inadequate waste management, disappearing open spaces, and increased concrete cover further compound the issue. 

Consequently, roads have become de facto drainage channels, highlighting the city's struggle to manage its water flow effectively.

He blames "clueless leadership that started from the colonial times".

Unplanned settlements have been allowed to develop around the rivers, sometimes disrupting their natural flow.

Many of the slum areas in the city, such as Mukuru and Mathare, have been built on marginal land along river valleys.

Last Wednesday, the authorities retrieved a dozen bodies of people who had drowned in the Mathare river following heavy rains the previous evening.

In the aftermath of the downpour, most of the houses in the area were flooded, with some residents trapped on the roofs of their houses.

In the meantime, residents have been asked to move to higher ground for their own safety.

President William Ruto also announced a plan to relocate people residing in high-risk areas across the country to land allocated by the National Youth Service, as the government devises a permanent solution. 

He stated that both the military and national government are coordinating efforts with counties to assist affected communities. In addition, Kiambu County, which includes areas vulnerable to flooding due to their proximity to river basins, has unveiled measures to address the situation, such as conducting building inspections