Flash floods kill over 20 in Kenya’s capital Nairobi

Flash floods have ravaged Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, killing more than 20 people as heavy rains continue to batter the city and other parts of the country. Kenyan President William Ruto on Saturday expressed condolences to families affected by the severe flooding in Nairobi and other regions, saying the disaster has caused “immense distress,” including deaths, displacement, and property damage.

In a statement, Ruto said the government was taking immediate action to mitigate the impact of the floods, including “deploying a multi-agency emergency response team led by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, in coordination with the Kenya Defence Forces and other emergency services.”

Ruto also announced the release of “relief food from national strategic reserves” and pledged that hospital bills for flood victims receiving treatment in public health facilities would be covered by the government. He added that emergency humanitarian support would be extended to families facing displacement and hardship.

“The national government is working closely with the Nairobi City County Government and other county administrations to ensure a coordinated response that prioritises the safety and wellbeing of our citizens,” Ruto said.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Rigathi Gachagua also expressed condolences to families affected by severe flooding in Nairobi and surrounding areas, urging the government to take “timely, decisive, and genuine” action to protect lives and property.

Gachagua described the floods as “devastating” and argued that the disaster could have been mitigated through proactive planning rather than reactive measures. He called for urgent evacuation support, emergency shelters, drainage clearance, relief food distribution, medical care, and timely public information.

“It is deeply painful and heartbreaking to lose human life and property during the ongoing rains, especially at a time when many Kenyans are already grappling with harsh economic realities,” Gachagua said.

Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, also described the flooding in parts of Nairobi as “deeply concerning” and said it requires immediate government action. In a statement, Mudavadi extended condolences to families who lost loved ones and wished a swift recovery to those injured. He called for strengthened collaboration between the national government and Nairobi City County to improve service delivery and protect residents.

“We will deploy all necessary efforts to clear blocked drainage systems and restore proper water flow across the city,” he said. “Nairobi remains a major regional hub and must be kept clean, safe and well-managed to reflect its standing in Africa.”

Mudavadi, who chairs the National Government–Nairobi County Steering Committee, said the committee is focusing on drainage, sanitation, lighting, and broader urban maintenance. He stressed that Nairobi must reclaim its status as the “Green City in the Sun” — clean, organised, secure, and globally competitive.

Flooding in Nairobi is largely driven by intense seasonal rainfall that overwhelms the city’s drainage systems. During the long rains from March to May and the short rains later in the year, heavy downpours can fall within short periods, sending large volumes of water into rivers and storm channels. These storms are linked to regional weather patterns such as the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which brings moisture across East Africa and can trigger sudden, intense rainfall.

Rapid urbanization has further worsened the problem. Over the past several decades, Nairobi’s expansion has replaced natural soil and vegetation with roads, buildings, and other hard surfaces that prevent water from soaking into the ground. Many settlements have also spread into flood-prone areas along waterways such as the Nairobi River and Mathare River, leaving communities exposed when river levels rise during heavy rains. Infrastructure and waste management challenges further aggravate the situation. Drainage channels are often narrow, poorly maintained, or blocked by garbage and sediment, preventing rainwater from flowing away quickly.