Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja called for unity and collective action in responding to the devastating floods affecting parts of the country, warning leaders against politicising the tragedy.
Speaking amid growing concerns over the rising death toll and destruction caused by the floods, Sakaja described the situation as a national disaster, noting that many lives have also been lost outside the capital.
“This is a national disaster. Nearly half of the deaths have occurred in other parts of the country as well, and those lives matter too,” the governor said.
He criticised what he termed as attempts by some leaders to use the disaster for political mileage, saying the focus should instead be on supporting affected families and preventing further loss of life.
“It is a shame that some leaders in this city are finger-pointing and leveraging this tragedy for political gain. We should stop politicising natural calamities and instead focus on a collective response to support those affected in Nairobi and across the country,” he said.
Sakaja defended the county government’s earlier decision to relocate residents living along the Nairobi River, saying the move, though painful, helped avert greater tragedy during the floods.
“Leadership is about providing solutions, not playing politics. Sometimes those solutions require painful decisions to save lives. If we had not relocated people from the Nairobi River, the number of lives lost during the floods would have been much higher,” he said.
The governor also reiterated that addressing Nairobi’s persistent flooding will require massive investment in drainage infrastructure, revealing that a full overhaul of the city’s drainage system could cost about Sh25 billion.
He said this is why the county government is working closely with the national government to mobilise the necessary resources to tackle the long-standing problem.
“Overhauling the city’s drainage system will cost about Sh25 billion, which is why cooperation with the national government is necessary. Correcting decades of planning mistakes will require tough decisions,” Sakaja added.
He urged leaders and residents alike to prioritise saving lives and supporting victims of the floods rather than engaging in political blame games, emphasizing that the long-term solution lies in coordinated action and improved urban planning.
More than 28 people were killed in floods on Friday in Nairobi sparking an outrage from residents who said there was lack of planning to mitigate the same despite there being warnings.
More than 100 cars were damaged in the chaos. Many people were rendered homeless.
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