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A total of 25,000 households displaced from the Nairobi river riparian following flush floods have been paid a one-off  Sh10,000 each while the remaining households will receive theirs by close of business on Friday.

 Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki yesterday said those affected by the orders to relocate will also receive priority consideration in the ongoing affordable housing programme.

To prevent re-encroachment, the reclaimed riparian reserves are being fenced and trenched.

“The exercise of unclogging, draining and rehabilitating the natural waterways of the rivers is set to commence shortly. Riverine ecosystem trees will be planted and recreational facilities established on both sides of the riparian reserves to be accessed and used by members of the public for free,” the CS said.

Kindiki added that the government will utilize paid labour drawn from local communities living along settlements contiguous to the riparian reserves. Seedlings for the regeneration of the riparian reserves will be purchased from local Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and Youth groups.

“Security personnel are under strict instructions not to use violence or otherwise mistreat members of the public,” he said.

He added: “Members of the public must be allowed to vacate structures or premises which are the subject for removal and to retrieve their belongings.”

The CS said that besides saving human life from destructive storm water, reclamation of the Nairobi Rivers riparian reserves will boost security for communities living around, eliminate the use of river banks for the manufacture, sale and consumption of illicit, toxic and harmful alcoholic drinks, peddling of narcotic drugs, and destroy the hideouts of dangerous criminals who have been using structures erected on inaccessible riparian reserves to plan  criminal activities and to retreat there after committing crimes.