Sakaja orders immediate rehabilitation of Nairobi Dam amid flooding risks in estates
By Aloys Michael, March 24, 2026Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja has ordered a full-scale rehabilitation of the Nairobi Dam following a multi-agency assessment and a vacation order issued to a section of Nairobi residents.
The orders come after a multi-agency team visited the site on Monday, March 23, 2026, to assess the extent of the damage, including officials from Nairobi County, the Water Resources Authority (WRA), the Nairobi Rivers Commission (NRC), the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC), and disaster management units.
Sakaja has maintained that to solve the problem of the Nairobi Dam once and for all, a few people have to suffer a little bit, so that all Nairobians can enjoy it for the long term.
“We have made the decision that, for all Nairobians to enjoy, a few have to suffer. Therefore, we have made a concise decision to restore Nairobi Dam, so that people living around the facility live a life of dignity,” he said.
Sakaja outlined a clear three-pronged rehabilitation strategy designed to address the crisis both immediately and for the long term, covering structural, environmental, and safety concerns simultaneously.
The priority is the immediate clearance of debris and blockages sitting downstream of the spillway. This will restore natural water flow and ease the dangerous pressure currently building against the weakened dam walls.
Eotechnical investigations will soon be carried out to evaluate the embankment’s structural integrity, giving engineers critical insights needed ahead of any long-term dam rehabilitation works.
In addition, a 30-metre-wide protective buffer zone will be established around the dam to prevent encroachment, enhance public safety, and preserve the infrastructure from further deterioration.
During the site visit, Governor Sakaja highlighted the dam’s historical significance, noting its origins in 1953, while also addressing the persistent challenges it faces, including pollution, sewage discharge, illegal encroachment, and unregulated settlements in the surrounding areas.
“This dam has a long history, dating back to 1953. It was built not just for recreation but to manage floods for downstream areas along the Ngong and Mitumi rivers. Over the years, pollution, sewage, encroachment, and settlements have created serious risks to our people,” Governor Sakaja stated.
The county boss stressed that the interventions carry a dual purpose. Beyond flood prevention, they are critical for environmental protection and for restoring a sense of security to communities that have lived with this risk for far too long.
The dam sits in the Kibera area along the Ngong River, roughly five kilometres southwest of Nairobi’s CBD, placing thousands of residents directly in the path of potential disaster if it were to breach.
Before Sakaja’s rehabilitation order, the Water Resources Authority (WRA) had already raised the alarm, directing residents of six estates near the dam to evacuate immediately as heavy rains continued to pound the region.
The WRA evacuation notice, dated Friday, March 20, 2026, was straightforward. It stated the dam was on the verge of bursting its embankments, leaving absolutely no room for hesitation among affected residents downstream.
“Due to the ongoing heavy rains, residents living downstream of Naiobi dam are warned of imminent flood risk due to the rising water levels in the reservoir that threaten breaching of the dam embankment,” stated the WRA vacation order.
Residents of informal settlements in Kibera, Nyayo Highrise, Dam Estate, Lang’ata, Nairobi West, and Madaraka were all told to leave and move to higher ground without delay, according to the official notice.