Nairobi Rivers Restoration Hits 60% as Government Seeks Fresh Partnerships

Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome speaks during a high-level development partners and diplomatic roundtable on the Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Programme.

By: Gladys Karuga.

The Government is seeking new financing, technical expertise and private-sector partnerships to accelerate the restoration of Nairobi’s rivers, with the first phase of the regeneration programme now between 60 and 70 per cent complete.

The progress and next phase of the project were at the centre of a high-level development partners and diplomatic roundtable held in Nairobi on Tuesday, convened by the Nairobi Rivers Commission (NRC) in partnership with UN-Habitat and the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development.

The meeting brought together government officials, diplomatic missions, development partners, financial institutions, private-sector representatives and community stakeholders to review progress and explore partnerships for the next phase of the Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Programme.

Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome said the scale of the restoration programme required support beyond government resources.

She called for greater involvement by development partners, financial institutions and private investors, including through blended finance, impact investment, climate finance, technology and innovation.

“The scale of the challenge before us demands solutions beyond what Government can provide alone,” Wahome said.

Wahome said the Government was now focused on moving from concepts to concrete investments and bankable projects capable of delivering measurable improvements to Nairobi’s waterways and surrounding communities.

She said the programme had adopted an integrated approach bringing together the national and county governments, public institutions, communities, development partners and the private sector.

The first catalytic projects have already entered implementation, with lessons from the initial interventions expected to guide the expansion of regeneration activities across the wider Nairobi metropolitan area.

Wahome said the first phase was about 60 per cent complete and was expected to be handed over next month.

She said river restoration was also being linked to infrastructure development, urban renewal, social cohesion and livelihood programmes, with the Government seeking to improve both the environment and living conditions of communities along the waterways.

The Government is also stepping up preparations for possible heavy rains and flooding, with Wahome calling for drainage channels and water pathways to be cleared and protected.

She said strengthening drainage systems and preventing encroachment would be critical to reducing flood risks in Nairobi.

The Nairobi Rivers Commission has been expanding and deepening sections of the rivers to their designed depth as part of measures aimed at reducing flooding following recent flooding in parts of the city.

Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Dr Deborah Barasa said the regeneration works were between 60 and 70 per cent complete, with progress recorded in sewer infrastructure, flood-risk reduction and the development of green infrastructure.

Barasa, however, cautioned that restoring individual sections of the rivers would not be enough to revive the wider ecosystem.

She said the regeneration programme must take a basin-wide approach, covering the river system from upstream sources to downstream courses.

According to Barasa, degraded river basins pose a threat to water security, public health, biodiversity and climate resilience.

She said the restoration programme was not simply about removing waste from waterways but also about restoring public spaces, protecting communities and improving the quality of life in Nairobi.

“This is not only about cleaning rivers. It is about restoring dignity, protecting public health, creating green spaces and securing a better future for generations to come.”

Barasa also urged people living on riparian land to move to safer areas ahead of expected heavy rains, warning that continued occupation of vulnerable areas could expose residents to accidents and other risks.

Riparian encroachment remains one of the major challenges facing the regeneration programme.

Nairobi Rivers Commission Commissioner John Njoroge said the Commission had encountered significant encroachment on riparian spaces, particularly in areas affected by new developments.

He said some newer developments in upper Nairobi had occupied areas that should have remained protected as riparian reserves, making restoration efforts more difficult.

The Environment Ministry is expected to support the regeneration programme through agencies including the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and Kenya Forest Service.

Their interventions will include environmental regulation, waste management, ecosystem restoration and forest conservation.

Barasa said the Environmental Management and Coordination Act provides the legal framework for environmental impact assessments, environmental audits, waste management, environmental restoration and the protection of riparian areas.

She also pointed to the National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Strategy, which targets the restoration of more than 10 million hectares of degraded land by 2032.

Protecting forests and catchment areas, Barasa said, would be essential to safeguarding the headwaters of the Nairobi River system, reducing flood risks and sustaining water resources.

The Nairobi Rivers regeneration programme covers the Nairobi, Ngong and Mathare rivers and their wider catchment, with the Commission coordinating restoration, protection, rehabilitation and sustainable development efforts.

Its mandate extends across Nairobi and neighbouring counties, including Kiambu, Machakos, Kajiado and Murang’a, reflecting the wider catchment that feeds and affects the river system.

UN-Habitat has framed the Nairobi Rivers Basin Regeneration Programme around multiple objectives, including habitat and biodiversity restoration, sustainable water-resource management, waste management, food and agriculture, community and public spaces, economic transformation, climate resilience, health and wellbeing, and community engagement.

The private sector is also being encouraged to play a greater role in the restoration drive.

Kenya Association of Manufacturers Chief Executive Tobias Alando said the private sector supported efforts aimed at improving Nairobi’s environment and the quality of life of residents.

“Dignifying the lives of our citizens is something that everyone should support. As the private sector, we appreciate that a cleaner environment supports cleaner businesses.”

The Government is now seeking to turn the partnerships discussed at the roundtable into concrete financing and technical support for the next phase of the programme.

The restoration drive is being positioned not only as an environmental project but also as an investment in public health, flood management, climate resilience, livelihoods and the long-term development of Nairobi.

The ultimate goal is to transform the city’s rivers from polluted and flood-prone waterways into cleaner, safer and more resilient urban corridors.