Members of the National Assembly have put the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) on the spot over recent flooding and blocked drainage systems in Nairobi, demanding accountability and urgent measures to restore proper sewerage and environmental management in the capital.
The concerns were raised during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Environment, Forestry and Mining Committee, where lawmakers questioned NEMA Director-General Mamo Mamo on the causes of persistent flooding following heavy rains experienced in the city last week.
The committee, chaired by Vincent Musyoka, asked the environmental regulator to explain why Nairobi continues to experience a dysfunctional sewerage system despite its mandate to enforce environmental laws and safeguard public health.
Members of the committee also sought clarification on what measures NEMA was taking to unblock drainage systems and prevent similar incidents in the future.
“This appears a NEMA issue, however planning and the behavior of the people of Nairobi comes in. NEMA can't run away, you are part of the problem because at some point you approve illegal buildings and you don't follow up on enforcement,” the committee said during the session.
In his response, Mamo said the problems affecting the city’s drainage system are rooted in multiple structural and environmental challenges.
He explained that Nairobi’s drainage infrastructure was constructed in the 1970s and has since struggled to cope with the city’s rapid population growth and expanding urban developments.
The NEMA chief also pointed to the rapid expansion of informal settlements, many of which lack proper sewer systems, resulting in waste being discharged into the Nairobi River.
He further cited illegal encroachment on riparian land as a key factor worsening flooding and environmental degradation.
“Hon. Members, these are some of the problems we have been able to point out, and we cannot forget the encroachment on the riparian land,” Mamo told the committee.
He added that NEMA is working closely with the Nairobi River Commission to identify and map structures built along protected riverbanks and develop plans to relocate them.
Lawmakers, however, urged the authority to step up enforcement and take decisive action against illegal construction activities.
Turkana Central MP Joseph Emathe warned that the rapid rise of construction projects across the city must be matched with strict regulatory oversight.
“We see urbanization coming with a number of construction sites coming up very fast in Nairobi. We want to see those who break the law dealt with. All buildings erected on riparian land must be brought down,” he said.
Nominated MP Joseph Wainaina also called for renewed efforts to restore the polluted Nairobi River, recalling earlier clean-up campaigns led by the late John Michuki that had once improved the river’s condition.
“I remember how the water flowing in Nairobi River looked clean at the time the late Hon. Michuki was in charge. Today everything looks dirty,” Wainaina said.
He urged NEMA to collaborate more closely with the Nairobi City County Government and the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company to address pollution and drainage challenges affecting the river.
Meanwhile, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Environment and Climate Change Festus Ng'eno acknowledged that staffing challenges at NEMA have affected the agency’s capacity but expressed optimism that strengthening the workforce would help address environmental management issues in Nairobi.
Ng’eno said the government is committed to working with all stakeholders to restore environmental order in the capital and prevent future flooding incidents.
