Calls for climate-resilient urban planning reforms after Nairobi floods

Experts are now calling for urgent reforms in urban planning, construction practices, and green development following the deadly floods that recently hit Nairobi and other parts of Kenya.

More than 60 people have died since heavy rains recently triggered flooding across the country, with more than 30 fatalities reported in Nairobi alone.

Authorities estimate that at least 50,000 people have been displaced after floodwaters destroyed or submerged homes in several neighbourhoods.

Urban planning experts, policymakers and civil society leaders say the disaster highlights deeper structural weaknesses in how cities are designed and built. They argue that unless construction models, housing systems, and infrastructure planning integrate climate resilience, similar tragedies will continue to occur.

These concerns were raised during the recently concluded Partnership Implementing the New Urban Agenda (Pinua) Forum 2026 held in Nairobi, where experts stressed the need for cities to rethink development models in the face of intensifying climate risks.

Experts have observed that African cities are expanding rapidly but often without adequate planning, leaving infrastructure unable to cope with extreme weather events.

Speaking during the forum, Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o emphasised that housing should be understood not merely as buildings but as a critical foundation for human well-being and social development.

“Shelter, in its most essential sense, is not merely a physical structure. It is a condition that enables human dignity, intellectual engagement, and social interaction,” he said.

Prof Nyong’o, who served as Minister of Planning and National Development in the early 2000s, said cities must deliberately integrate green and affordable housing into urban development strategies in order to improve living conditions, particularly for communities that are often excluded from formal planning processes.

According to him, housing development should not only address the shortage of homes but also focus on the environmental context in which those homes are built.

“By linking housing delivery with urban development, our approach is deliberate and integrated,” Nyong’o said. “We seek to co-produce green and affordable housing while improving the living conditions of those who are strongly excluded from urban systems,” he added.

High-rise mess 

Nyong’o also raised concerns about the growing trend of high-rise developments in low-income neighbourhoods, cautioning that affordable housing should not automatically translate into tall apartment blocks.

Poorly planned high-rise buildings can create environmental and social challenges if they are not carefully designed within a broader urban planning framework.

“We must have a clear housing policy. Affordable housing must not simply be equated with high-rise apartments,” he said.

Urban development experts say the recent floods demonstrate why cities must urgently shift towards climate-resilient construction and planning.

Oumar Sylla, the Regional Director for the Africa Office at UN-Habitat, said the disaster should serve as a wake-up call for governments and developers to rethink the way cities are built.

“We cannot build as we used to build,” Sylla said.

He said climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, making traditional construction approaches increasingly inadequate.

“Urban planning and construction must adapt to climate vulnerability and future environmental risks,” he explained. “Building regulations and construction standards must be respected and updated to reflect the realities of climate change.”

He further urged developers to prioritise environmental sustainability and liveability rather than focusing solely on financial returns.

“Housing is not just about building four walls and a roof. It is about the environmental context, health considerations, and the overall living conditions of people,” he said.

According to him, improving urban resilience requires stronger policies, better planning systems, and greater accountability from all actors involved in urban development.

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Civil society groups say the flooding also exposes longstanding challenges in Nairobi’s infrastructure.

According to Resilience Action Network Africa, seasonal flooding has become a recurring problem in many African cities, yet governments often respond only after disasters occur.

The organisation says Nairobi’s drainage system has struggled to keep pace with the city’s rapid population growth and urban expansion.

“While the flooding witnessed in Nairobi reflects the realities of communities on the frontline of climate change,” Aggrey Aluso, Executive Director, said, “systemic failures in planning and preparedness have contributed to the loss of lives and livelihoods.”

Many neighbourhoods remain underserved by drainage infrastructure, while others lack such systems entirely.

The situation is further complicated by the widespread encroachment on riparian land, where informal settlements and other developments have emerged along riverbanks.

These areas become flood flashpoints during heavy rainfall, placing thousands of residents at risk.

“Better planning and early action could significantly reduce the human and economic impacts of such disasters,” Aluso emphasised.

Speaking to Nation, Morris Kavai, Nairobi County’s head of climate change, said the intensity of the recent rainfall was unusually high.

“When you look at the weather attributes, you realise that even the 1998 El Niño rains did not reach the kind of impact we had in the recent week,” he said.

He further explained that the county’s priority during extreme weather events is to strengthen response mechanisms rather than assign blame.

“Well, it is not about being caught off guard but being in a position to respond when this flooding happens,” he said. “When we have these extreme weather events, the most important thing you do as a county is to provide relief services.”

Kavai said authorities have deployed more than 4,500 workers under what is commonly referred to as the “green army,” across all 17 sub-counties of Nairobi to unclog drainage systems across the city.

The teams are clearing blocked drainage channels and removing accumulated waste to allow water to flow more easily during heavy rainfall.

“One of the most important things is planning together with partners and across sectors, while also utilising data to improve infrastructure,” he said.

Civil society organisations emphasised that the floods should serve as a turning point in how Nairobi plans and manages urban development.

“Urban drainage systems require proper engineering, regular maintenance, and strict enforcement of planning regulations,” they said.

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