The government has unveiled an ambitious Sh47.2 billion Flood Resilience Masterplan aimed at addressing persistent flooding in Nairobi, marking one of the most comprehensive urban climate adaptation strategies in the country’s history.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi told Parliament that the plan, anchored under the Nairobi Rising Programme, is designed to deliver a coordinated and climate-resilient transformation of the capital’s urban systems.
“The strategy is structured in three progressive phases to ensure both immediate response and long-term sustainability,” Mudavadi told the National Assembly.
He explained that the masterplan adopts a “Sponge City” model, a modern urban planning approach that focuses on absorbing, storing and reusing stormwater rather than rapidly draining it.
The approach is expected to significantly reduce flooding while improving water management across the city.
Mudavadi outlined that Phase I, set for 2026, will prioritise emergency interventions, including rehabilitation of critical drainage systems, establishment of flood early warning mechanisms and development of flood risk mapping. It will also strengthen coordinated emergency response capacity.
Phase II, covering 2026 to 2028, will focus on structural resilience through comprehensive drainage systems across river sub-catchments, rehabilitation of major river corridors such as Mathare and Ngong, and construction of underground flood retention infrastructure.
Green infrastructure will also be integrated to enhance water absorption and reduce runoff.
The final phase, running from 2028 to 2032, will advance long-term climate adaptation by scaling up resilient infrastructure citywide, expanding green corridors along river networks and establishing a Climate Resilience Investment Fund to sustain interventions.
“The National Government and the Nairobi City County Government are jointly implementing key infrastructure projects under the Cooperation Agreement,” Mudavadi said, citing upgrades to roads, drainage, sewer systems and flood mitigation measures integrated into housing and transport developments.
The announcement comes in the wake of severe flooding experienced in March 2026, which resulted in loss of life, displacement of residents and widespread infrastructure damage.
Responding to a question from Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje, Mudavadi acknowledged that the floods exposed deeper systemic challenges.
“The floods… were not merely a consequence of extreme weather events, but largely a manifestation of systemic urban planning and enforcement inadequacies,” he said.
To address these gaps, the government is strengthening enforcement of planning laws, including protection of riparian reserves, operationalisation of the Nairobi Integrated Urban Development Master Plan and introduction of mandatory flood risk disclosure requirements.
“It is important to underscore that the challenge facing Nairobi is not the absence of policy or legal instruments, but the historical lack of enforcement,” Mudavadi noted.
The strategy also incorporates environmental solutions such as river corridor regeneration, urban greening initiatives and waste-to-energy programmes to reduce solid waste that often clogs drainage systems.
In the short term, the government has rolled out emergency measures, including clearing blocked drainage systems in flood-prone areas such as Mathare, Mukuru, Eastleigh, South B and the Central Business District.
Multi-agency emergency response teams have also been deployed to support evacuation and rescue operations.
Mudavadi reaffirmed the government’s commitment to resolving the crisis.
“I wish to assure this House that the Government remains fully committed to safeguarding lives, protecting property, and transforming Nairobi into a modern, resilient and globally competitive capital city,” he said.
The broader Nairobi Rising Programme, valued at Sh80 billion, is a joint initiative between the national and county governments aimed at delivering long-term infrastructure and urban development solutions.