Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has reaffirmed the government’s resolve to reclaim all riparian land along Nairobi’s rivers, emphasizing that no illegally built structures will be exempt from demolition, regardless of ownership.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Committee on Environment, Forestry, and Mining, Duale defended the government’s decision to relocate families along the riverbanks. He highlighted that this action is part of broader efforts to protect the public from future disasters following the deadly floods in May that claimed 47 lives.
“The relocation of households along the Nairobi rivers was both legal and considerate, driven by the need to safeguard the public after the tragic loss of 47 lives due to the floods,” Duale stated.
He stressed that the primary goal of the relocation was to save lives and ensure that similar tragedies would be avoided in the future.
In response to the flooding crisis, the government relocated over 181,000 individuals living near the Nairobi Rivers Corridor after issuing a cabinet directive. The directive gave residents just two days to vacate and warned that any remaining structures would be demolished if they did not comply.
According to Duale, the move was motivated by the need to shield vulnerable communities from the growing threat of floods, which has increasingly plagued Nairobi. This order will also affect residents of Kibra, who live close to the Nairobi River.
