The Nairobi Rivers Commission has issued more than 300 notices as part of an ongoing cleanup and restoration campaign targeting the Nairobi River.
In an interview on Tuesday, May 5, Commissioner Mumo Musuva said the notices issued cover the Nairobi River and its tributary, Kirichwa Kubwa, with several other sections still under review.
"We have issued so far over 300 notices, and that is only on the Nairobi River and its tributary of Kirichwa Kubwa. We are yet to get through Kirichwa Ndogo, Mathare River, Parklands, and Ngong River sections. Where the courts have guided is that they have said we must follow fair administrative action processes to notify people, engage them through public participation," he said.
During the same interview, Musuva attributed the flooding in Nairobi to encroachment and land-related violations that have affected river corridors over the years.
"We must keep reminding each other that floods in Nairobi are not a new phenomenon. There is a lot of impunity when it comes to matters of land, and the rivers have suffered a lot because of that. We have mapped the areas, and we are going through a multi-agency team effort to demarcate the riparian zones," he stated.
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Musuva further noted that the enforcement exercise is also facing a significant number of legal challenges, with many affected parties seeking court protection as authorities continue implementing the cleanup.
"We have close to 150 court cases, and everybody is running to court to seek protection even when they know they are wrong. The law is clear, we must follow the process," he further said.
This comes months after the government warned that resistance to riparian compliance in parts of Lavington and Kileleshwa is threatening the progress of the Nairobi River regeneration efforts.
In a statement on Wednesday, February 18, authorities said opposition from some upstream sections risks undermining gains already made under the multi-billion-shilling Nairobi River Regeneration Project.
Addressing the resistance, the government cautioned that the consequences extend far beyond the affected neighbourhoods.
"The success of this national restoration effort depends on collective responsibility, especially upstream. Continued resistance to riparian compliance in some upstream areas, particularly in sections of Lavington and Kileleshwa, threatens to undermine progress for millions downstream and across the broader basin, which stretches all the way to Makueni and Tsavo," the statement read.
Officials stressed that the project is not driven by political considerations but by the urgent need to safeguard public health and the environment.
"This is not about politics; it is about public health, environmental survival, and fairness. The river does not belong to one neighbourhood; it belongs to the entire country. Inaction is no longer an option. The restoration of the Nairobi River is a restoration of dignity for Kenya itself," the statement added.
The government described the initiative as an intervention to address decades of environmental degradation that has affected thousands of residents living along the river.
"The Nairobi River Regeneration Project is not simply an environmental exercise; it is a national intervention to restore human dignity. For decades, thousands of Nairobi residents have been forced to live, work, and raise families next to raw sewage, toxic waste, and illegal dumpsites, an unacceptable reality for any Kenyan," the statement continued.
According to officials, the KSh 50 billion initiative includes major infrastructure works aimed at transforming the river and surrounding communities.
"Launched in March 2025, the Ksh 50 billion project is now transforming the river from a symbol of neglect into a backbone of health, opportunity, and dignity, supported by major infrastructure, including a 60-kilometre trunk sewer line, expanded treatment plants, and the creation of green public spaces," the statement explained.
Authorities said visible progress has already been made across several sections of the river basin, with communities downstream largely complying with relocation directives.
"The progress is already visible to wananchi, with sewer line construction underway, community parks like Kamukunji nearing completion, and thousands of young people employed in cleanup and restoration works. Informal settlements along the river, particularly downstream, have largely complied with riparian relocation notices, recognizing that this process protects families from disease, flooding, and environmental hazards," the statement further read.
The government added that economic and public health benefits of the project are already being realized, with thousands of jobs created and improved environmental outcomes expected in the coming years.
"The project has already created over 40,000 jobs and is expected to significantly reduce waterborne diseases while restoring the river as a safe and productive space for all Nairobi residents," the statement concluded.
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