Sifuna Condemns Flood-Related Deaths in Nairobi as Avoidable Tragedies
Nairobi County Senator Edwin Sifuna has strongly criticized the recent deaths in different parts of Nairobi caused by heavy rainfall and flooding, describing them as “avoidable tragedies.”
Speaking on Thursday, April 24, during an interview on Spice FM, Sifuna laid the blame on the Nairobi County government.
He insisted that authorities should have taken proactive measures to protect residents, especially since the long rains were expected.
“My team has been closely engaging with the affected families to offer support. These deaths could have been prevented.
Everyone knew the rains were coming, yet little was done to prepare. The county government must act decisively to ensure public safety,” Sifuna stated.
His comments followed an interview by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja on Citizen TV the night before, where Sakaja pointed out that the city’s outdated drainage systems and a lack of financial resources were the main contributors to the flooding.
Sakaja explained that the drainage infrastructure was originally built to handle lighter, seasonal rainfall, not the current heavy and sustained downpours Nairobi is facing.
“The volume of rain we are receiving is far more than what our systems were designed for. Most of our drainage channels are inadequate—they were never meant to handle such intense rain,” Governor Sakaja explained.
To address the issue, Sakaja revealed that the county government had mobilized 3,800 youth under the “Green Army” initiative.
These young people are currently working to unclog drains and remove garbage from drainage systems to ease the flooding situation across the city.
Senator Sifuna reported that over six lives had already been lost due to the ongoing heavy rains in Nairobi. He expressed deep concern over the rising death toll and emphasized the urgency of addressing the crisis.
“We are discussing this matter at a painful moment for our city. Reports indicate that at least six people have already died in different locations around Nairobi due to the flooding,” Sifuna said.
He assured the public that he is committed to helping the bereaved families and that his team has already reached out to those affected to offer both emotional and material support.
He reiterated that these deaths could have been avoided with better planning and action from the county government.
Sifuna also revealed that he had recently submitted a petition to the Senate. The petition calls for the government to compensate affected families and involve local communities—especially those living near rivers—in relocation discussions.
“Our people aren’t choosing to live in risky areas because they want to. They do so out of economic necessity. The most affordable housing options in Nairobi are often found in areas most vulnerable to flooding,” he explained.
He emphasized that residents are open to relocating to safer areas but need to be part of the planning process and must receive the compensation they were promised, especially those living along riverbanks and other flood-prone zones.
“They’ve told me they’re willing to move—they just want to be included in the decisions. And the compensation that was promised to them must be delivered,” Sifuna said firmly.
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