Editor's Review

CS Chirchir disclosed that the roads would undergo beautification, lighting and drainage re-designing.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir on Wednesday, March 18, confirmed plans to design Mombasa Road and Uhuru Highway to address flooding.

Speaking while appearing before the Senate, Chirchir revealed that a contractor was on site to redesign the stretch from JKIA to ABC place.

He intimated that the construction works would include fixing the drainage system to allow water drained from the expressway to be redirected elsewhere.

"We have a major contractor picking up the road, and we are redesigning to address all the drainage challenges. Let me confirm that the project just started in the last two weeks," Chirchir stated.

The CS further disclosed that the two major roads would also undergo a beautification and lighting process, and renovations would be completed in four to six months.

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A file image of vehicles submerged in water during the Nairobi floods.

"CRBC is undertaking major works on this road, including beautification, lighting, installation of beautiful gardens and drainage that can offtake water," he stated.

Chirchir explained that the flooding was partially caused by floodwaters from the expressway, which is drained to the underpass, whose drainage had not been improved to handle the large amount of water capacity.

The CS was responding to a question by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who sought answers on the measures taken by the government to address flooding in the county.

However, Sifuna was dissatisfied with the answer, stating that beautification was not a priority for the residents of Nairobi,

The Senator further questioned what happened to the Ksh9 billion initially released by the government to fix the underpass after it sustained damage during the construction of the expressway.

"Ksh 9 billion had already been given to the previous contractor associated with an MP. We want to be told why the money was given, and it had not been done," Sifuna stated.

Hundreds of Nairobi residents were left stranded along major roads in the capital city after they were rendered impassable by floodwaters.

The ongoing rainfall season has exposed the magnitude of the drainage issues in Nairobi and the surrounding areas.