Africa Science and technology Advisory Group on Disaster Risk Reduction of the African Union commission
What you need to know:
The Kenya Meteorological Department issues warnings and alerts, yet clogged drainage systems, poor urban planning, and weak enforcement of building codes ensure that these warnings translate into catastrophe rather than preparedness and response.
Nairobi's drainage systems, designed decades ago for a much smaller city, are now overwhelmed by rapid urbanisation and unregulated construction.
Kenya is once again experiencing rains that have caused widespread havoc in the capital city, Nairobi, as well as in other parts of the country. The images are painfully familiar: commuters and motorists stranded on submerged highways, families wading through knee-deep water in informal settlements, vehicles stalled in rising floods, and businesses forced to shut down. As the city and other regions drown, the pressing question is whether this is a case of unprecedented rainfall, or a case of human disaster and unpreparedness.
The raging floods are not merely a natural disaster; they demonstrate a governance failure and serve as a stark reminder that Kenya's early warning systems are yet to evolve into sustainable mechanisms capable of providing timely alerts for building resilience against predictable climate risks and shocks.
