Sakaja says Nairobi built on a swamp, calls for national-county cooperation on floods

Speaking on Citizen Sunday Live, Sakaja said Nairobi cannot be organised and fixed using the same revenue model as other counties, arguing that the capital requires special financing to deal with pressures created by rapid growth.

“The drainage that we have is not built for this amount of rain… The capital city cannot be organised based on the share of revenue that it gets, like other counties,” he said, adding that the law provides room for the city to access additional funding to solve long-standing challenges.

Sakaja said much of what the county is doing is “catching up” after years of neglect, describing Nairobi as a city dealing with aging infrastructure and planning systems designed for a much smaller population.

“There is no quick fix for this city; it is not possible… We are dealing with a generational infrastructure deficit, drainage built for 500,000 people, planning and development control for a smaller city than we have today,” he said.

He said Nairobi needs at least Ksh60 billion annually to run effectively, and argued that reforms require a collaborative approach.

“You must have a collaborative effort for the city; there is no other formula,” he said, adding that a legal provision that could allow Nairobi to access additional resources has been available for about 13 years but had not been utilised previously.

Sakaja said flooding has been a long-standing issue, recalling being stranded during the 1997 El Niño rains. He urged leaders to focus on solutions rather than blame, while defending county actions including evictions along riparian land.

“Leadership is to provide solutions; it is not about blaming,” he said, adding that the county has hired 4,500 Green Army personnel to help unclog drains daily.

However, he said dumping and littering continue to undermine efforts, arguing that residents also bear responsibility.

“Who dumps in those drains? Who is littering in those drains? We have provided bins. There is a responsibility all of us must bear,” he said.

He also criticised politicians he said were politicising enforcement actions, including evacuations in flood-prone areas such as Grogan garages, saying some leaders encourage people to stay put even when they need to move.

“My friends in Grogan were really affected, but they know they were supposed to move… I’ve seen politicians politicising these, yet they are the same ones… telling people not to move when they need to move,” he said.

Sakaja said he would proceed with measures he considers necessary, regardless of political backlash.

“I will just close my ears and do what must be done for this city; I do not care about the political ramifications. What must be done will be done,” he said.

The governor called on residents to stop littering and participate in clean-up efforts, saying poor waste disposal worsens flooding.

“You will see someone in a very big car, throwing banana peels outside, and then you will say Sakaja… When we do clean-ups in the area, come out and join us. It is our environment, and it will affect you personally when you don’t do it,” he said.

Sakaja also sent condolences to families affected by the floods, noting that while planning challenges have accumulated over decades — including that parts of Nairobi were built on a swamp — his administration is working with the national government to address roads and waterways that fall outside county control.