Mombasa flooding put El Niño preparedness to the test

By  Anthony Kitimo

Correspondent

The level of El Niño preparedness in Mombasa is under scrutiny after overnight rains left parts of the city heavily flooded on Saturday, raising fears that more intense downpours could cause further damage.

Sections of the main road towards Shanzu and the Bamburi-Kiembeni junction were submerged, making movement difficult for motorists and pedestrians. Some drivers struggled to navigate the flooded sections, while residents faced challenges accessing their homes, businesses and essential services.

Bamburi Ward in Kisauni Sub-County has repeatedly experienced flooding after heavy downpours. Inadequate drainage infrastructure and blocked channels, partly blamed on uncontrolled construction, have contributed to the accumulation of stagnant water.

Residents in vulnerable neighbourhoods including Kwa Bulo, Mwembelegeza, Mwatamba, Palestina, Mishomoroni and Ziwa la Ng’ombe, fear heavier rainfall could worsen the situation, destroy property and disrupt livelihoods.

“Even when it rains a little, roads here flood and water comes into our homes,” said vegetable vendor Emily Mlama.

She warned that heavier rainfall could prevent traders from reaching markets and children from attending school.

Residents have also raised concerns about the vulnerability of low-income households, where flooding could destroy household goods and other possessions.

Residents have called on the county government to take urgent action to prevent disasters as the country braces for above-average rainfall during the October-November-December season.

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who was on a political tour of the region, was also caught up in the flooding. He said the situation had made it impossible to hold rallies in some parts of Bamburi, questioning the measures being taken to protect residents, particularly women, from the recurring problem.

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir said the county government was clearing drainage channels across the six sub-counties of Mvita, Nyali, Likoni, Changamwe, Jomvu and Kisauni to improve water flow and reduce flooding.

He said the administration had identified flood hotspots in all 30 wards and was using heavy-duty equipment, including hydro-jetters, to clear blocked drainage systems. The county is also constructing new stormwater drainage infrastructure to protect homes, businesses and road users.

The Kenya Meteorological Services Authority (KMSA) has forecast above-average rainfall during the season due to the ongoing El Niño phenomenon.

Data released by the authority showed that Mombasa recorded the highest rainfall in the country, at about 48mm, in the 24 hours to 9am on Saturday. Ruruma in Kilifi County received about 44mm, followed by Lamu at 36mm and Kangema at 34mm.

Rainfall is measured in millimetres, representing the depth of water collected by a rain gauge over a specified period.

Other areas that recorded significant rainfall during the period included Kaguru Agricultural Training Centre (19mm), Wakala Marafa (18mm), Kisumu (15mm) and Nyeri (11mm).

The Mombasa county government has urged residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas to exercise caution and consider temporary relocation if water levels rise. Motorists have been advised to avoid deeply flooded sections and use alternative routes where possible.

“We want clean drainage systems in the sub-counties to avoid flooding,” Mr Nassir said, adding that the county was strengthening its El Niño preparedness measures.

A recent report by the National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC) identified Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu among urban areas at high risk of flooding, even as it projected that the ongoing El Niño would peak in December.

The flooding in Mombasa has also raised questions about preparedness in other counties, with residents questioning whether repeated official assurances and millions of shillings set aside for disaster prevention are translating into action on the ground.

County and national government officials have been urged to move beyond boardroom meetings and address the risks facing communities.

“There is a need for the disaster management committees to go out and mobilise the communities to open up drainages that have been blocked and create new ones to direct stormwater to rivers and avoid destruction,” said former Bomet Mayor Kipkemoi Barsumei.

Mr Barsumei said officials had focused on meetings without doing enough to educate residents on what to expect and how to respond when the rains set in.

“What we have seen lately is boardroom meetings by the officials and no action has deliberately been made to educate the people on what to expect and what to do when the rains set in,” he said.

In Narok, administrators have opened up large drainage channels to direct stormwater into rivers that flow into the Mara River and, ultimately, Lake Victoria. The town has experienced flooding and loss of life over the years.

Murang’a is among the counties flagged as being at high risk of landslides and mudslides yet concerns remain about preparedness in some areas.

In Maragua town, an open sewer line running through the town remains clogged in several sections.

Maragua Residents and Business Community coordinator Mohammed Maluki told the Nation that the situation was alarming.

“Our town is a disaster in waiting,” he said.

In Kahumbu Ward, feeder roads without drainage systems also pose risks, with stormwater flowing into residents’ homes.

According to a national preparedness alert by KMSA and NDOC, Murang’a is likely to experience landslides because of saturated soils on steep slopes. Administrators have begun advising residents in landslide-prone areas to remain vigilant for warning signs, including ground cracks and the sudden appearance of water springs.

Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Erick Mugaa said the government was working with communities to desilt dams, raise awareness among people living along rivers and monitor changing weather patterns.

He urged Kenyans to harvest rainwater for domestic and commercial use, saying this could help reduce runoff flowing downstream and ease pressure on drainage systems.

Mr Mugaa said water harvesting was key to addressing some of the challenges associated with El Niño. He noted that water flows into neighbouring countries, largely through Lake Victoria, which is shared by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and drains into the River Nile. He added that the Indian Ocean would also be affected.

The CS said the national government was working with county governments, donors, experts and other stakeholders to address challenges expected from the forecast heavy rains in the coming weeks.

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