Mudavadi calls for urgent action after deadly Nairobi floods
By Kenneth Mwenda, March 7, 2026Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called for urgent action to address severe flooding in Nairobi after heavy rains battered the city over the weekend.
The downpours turned streets into fast-moving streams, submerged homes and vehicles, and left major roads impassable. Rescue teams, including the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), helped motorists trapped in flooded roads as flash floods swept through several neighbourhoods.
In a statement released by the National Police Service on Saturday, March 7, 2026, the police confirmed twenty-three casualties, with at least twenty-nine people successfully rescued from various locations.
Mudavadi described the situation as deeply troubling and said authorities must act quickly to prevent further damage and loss of life.
“I extend my condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and wish a swift recovery to those injured following the floods in several areas of the city,” Mudavadi said in a post on X.
Reports from affected areas show the floods caused deaths and injuries as water levels rose rapidly. Emergency teams worked through the night in some parts of the city to rescue residents cut off by rising water.
Mudavadi said the crisis highlights the urgent need for better coordination between the national government and Nairobi City County to improve services and protect residents.
Clearing drainage
He noted that authorities plan to clear blocked drainage systems and restore water flow across the city in the coming days. According to him, teams will deploy all necessary resources to address the problem.
“Nairobi remains a major regional hub and must be kept clean, safe and well-managed to reflect its standing in Africa,” he said.
Mudavadi chairs the National Government–Nairobi County Steering Committee, which focuses on improving services in the capital. The committee works on issues such as drainage, sanitation, street lighting and urban maintenance.
Floods expose infrastructure failures
He pointed to the recent Ksh80 billion cooperation agreement between the national government and Nairobi City County as a key step towards solving long-standing infrastructure problems.
“Our goal is clear: Nairobi must and will reclaim its stature as the ‘Green City in the Sun’ – clean, organised, secure and globally competitive,” Mudavadi said.
The floods exposed persistent problems with Nairobi’s drainage system and infrastructure. Critics argue that poor maintenance and delayed action have worsened the situation.
The heavy rains also brought daily life in parts of the city to a halt. Commuters spent hours stuck in traffic while businesses in flooded areas shut down temporarily. Several low-lying neighbourhoods turned into disaster zones as water filled streets and homes.
Earlier warnings from the Kenya Meteorological Department had predicted heavy rainfall in early March 2026. The agency said intense showers would peak between March 4 and 7 and warned residents in Nairobi and other regions to stay alert.
KDF joins flood rescue efforts
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) personnel, mainly from the Rapid Response Unit (RRU), were deployed to assist with rescue and emergency operations after heavy flooding hit Nairobi on the evening of March 6, 2026.
The sudden downpour caused severe flooding across several parts of the city, disrupting transport and leaving many commuters stranded along major roads.
KDF teams focused their response on areas where rising water had severely affected movement. The personnel helped stranded motorists and pedestrians while working to restore safe passage along flooded routes.
They remained on high alert throughout the night, monitoring the situation and responding quickly to any new emergencies as the floods continued to affect different parts of the city.