With heavy rains pounding the country, another season of flooding is gradually gripping streets and estates in Nairobi, with roads slowly becoming impassable as floodwaters pose serious risks to lives and property.
While motorists often count losses from vehicle damage caused by rising waters, mechanics see increased business, as pedestrians and commuters face major inconveniences.
Mark Kirui, 43, recently bore the brunt of the heavy rains. His car stalled on Monday in Embakasi after it was overwhelmed by floodwaters as he attempted to drive through stagnant water.
Elsewhere in the city, more than 130 travellers were stranded at Nairobi’s Central Railway Station on Monday evening after flooding disrupted train operations to the Syokimau SGR station.
Passengers, who had already boarded the commuter train, were later informed that it could not proceed due to water along the railway line.
The station’s management arranged for buses to transport passengers to Syokimau. However, by 9:15 pm, many commuters were still waiting anxiously, with little communication about the location or arrival of the promised buses.
For residents of informal settlements, the ongoing rains present even greater dangers.
Those living in slum areas face heightened risk of flash floods tearing through homes, destroying property and, in some cases, causing deaths.
Last year, prolonged rains left slum dwellers along the banks of the Nairobi River counting losses and mourning lives lost.
The river, often clogged with sewage, burst its banks and swept through makeshift homes, leaving destruction in its wake.
Despite the dangers, some residents continue to live along the riverbanks, saying they have no alternatives.
In Mathare, residents have voiced frustration over calls for relocation, saying such appeals are not backed by concrete plans or options for resettlement.
One resident, a 53-year-old woman known as WKW, has lived in a two-room concrete structure in Mathare for years. She says she understands the risks but has no other place to go.
“I know heavy rains can be deadly. But where do you expect me to go? This is where I have lived for 15 years. This is where my children call home. I’d rather die here,” she said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, weather experts warn that the current rains could intensify in the coming weeks. The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Center (ICPAC) has projected that rainfall across Kenya and the Greater Horn of Africa may be heavier than usual—similar to 2024 levels.
According to ICPAC, moderate rainfall ranging between 50 and 200 millimetres is expected in many parts of Rwanda, Burundi, northwestern and southern Tanzania, western Uganda, coastal, northeastern and western Kenya, parts of western Ethiopia, northern South Sudan and southern Sudan.
The institution cautioned that the heavy rains could lead to flooding in several regions.
“The expected heavy rainfall over parts of northeastern Kenya and some regions in southern and northern Tanzania could trigger isolated flooding. Communities in low-lying areas should stay cautious,” the institution warned.
