Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja has ordered a full-scale rehabilitation of Nairobi Dam following a multi-agency assessment on March 23 after a vacation order issued last Saturday.
The orders came after a multi-agency team visited the site to assess the extent of the damage.
They included officials from Nairobi County, the Water Resources Authority (WRA), the Nairobi Rivers Commission (NRC), the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC), and disaster management units.
On Monday, March 23, Sakaja categorically stated that in order to solve the problem of Nairobi Dam once and for all, a few people have to suffer a little bit, so that all Nairobians can enjoy it for the long term.
“We have made the decision that, for all Nairobians to enjoy, a few have to suffer,” stated Sakaja.
“Therefore, we have made a concise decision to restore Nairobi Dam, so that people living around the facility live a life of dignity.”
Sakaja outlined a clear three-pronged rehabilitation strategy designed to address the crisis both immediately and for the long term, covering structural, environmental, and safety concerns simultaneously.
The first priority is the immediate clearance of debris and blockages sitting downstream of the spillway.
This will restore natural water flow and ease the dangerous pressure currently building against the weakened dam walls.
Next, geotechnical surveys will be conducted to assess the embankment’s structural strength, providing engineers with the data they need before any long-term restoration work on the dam’s body begins.
A 30-metre protective barrier will also be erected around the entire dam perimeter.
This is meant to permanently stop further encroachment, keep the public safe, and protect the infrastructure from ongoing degradation.
Governor Sakaja was direct about the dam’s troubled history during the site visit, telling the team, acknowledging the long history that the dam has, dating back to 1953.
With this history, he acknowledged the main problems affecting the dam: pollution, sewage, encroachment, and rogue settlements are the bone of contention in the areas surrounding the dam.
“This dam has a long history, dating back to 1953. It was built not just for recreation but to manage floods for downstream areas along the Ngong and Mitumi rivers,” Governor Sakaja stated.
“Over the years, pollution, sewage, encroachment, and settlements have created serious risks to our people.”
The county boss stressed that the interventions carry a dual purpose.
Beyond flood prevention, they are critical for environmental protection and for restoring a sense of security to communities that have lived with this risk for far too long.
The dam sits in the Kibera area along the Ngong River, roughly five kilometres southwest of Nairobi’s CBD.
This places thousands of residents directly in the path of potential disaster if it were to breach.
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Before Sakaja’s rehabilitation order, the Water Resources Authority (WRA) had already raised the alarm, directing residents of six estates near the dam to evacuate immediately as heavy rains continued to pound the region.
The WRA evacuation notice, dated Friday, March 20, was straightforward.
It stated the dam was on the verge of bursting its embankments, leaving absolutely no room for hesitation among affected residents downstream.
“Due to the ongoing heavy rains, residents living downstream of Naiobi dam are warned of imminent flood risk due to the rising water levels in the reservoir that threaten breaching of the dam embankment,” stated the WRA vacation order.
Residents of informal settlements in Kibera, Nyayo Highrise, Dam Estate, Lang’ata, Nairobi West, and Madaraka were all told to leave and move to higher ground without delay, according to the official notice.
Governor Sakaja Issues Fresh Directive On Nairobi Dam Days After Mass Evacuation Order
