A section of Nairobi residents living on the banks of Mathare River have vowed not to move despite threats of flooding as the heavy rains season starts.
Residents, especially in Mathare slums said the calls to move should be accompanied by dignified relocation alternatives.
WKW, a 53-year-old woman says that she has lived in her two-roomed concrete structure for years and will not be cowed by threats of eviction.
“I also know that with heavy rains, the water can be deadly. But where do you expect me to go? This is where I have lived for more than 15 years, and this where my children call home. I’d rather die here,” she said.
Local leaders and activists said any push to relocate persons living along the river banks must be informed by a robust resettlement.
“You can’t claim that you want the people in our community to move to save their lives from floods but at the same time, you are taking them to IDP camps or open grounds exposed to the harsh weather. Tell me how that logic works,” said KO, a 24-year-old housing activist.
The leaders said most residents are still trying to recover from the effects of last year’s floods and evicting them will take them aback.
Last year, the river burst its banks in upstream and swept houses around Mathare slums overnight, killing 15 people.
Activist Benna Buluma, popularly known as Mama Victor, alongside her two grandchildren were among those killed.
Survivors said the overwhelming waters caught everyone unawares and many lost their properties. Last week, during a tour of Nairobi, President William Ruto urged residents in high-risk areas to move.
He promised to resettle those who were evicted from riparian lands last year will be prioritised in the allocation of social housing units. Ruto said their resettlement will be executed as part of the Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Project.
“All persons who were displaced from riparian land will be the first to be allocated the social housing units we are constructing. We have the names of everyone who was displaced and their exact locations before the floods,” Ruto said.
“As part of the Nairobi River regeneration, we want to transform the river from a sewage-filled waterway by removing solid waste, constructing a 60-kilometre sewer line, deepening the river, and building 50,000 new housing units.”
The President’s five-day Nairobi
tour saw him visit at least 16 constituencies.
