Drainage crisis hits South C

Residents of Nairobi South C participate in a clean-up exercise to unclog the drainage system. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Residents of South C, Nairobi, have raised alarm over a worsening drainage crisis in the estate following the collapse of a 14-storey building that was under construction in January.

The tragic incident, which claimed two lives, is said to have severely affected the area’s sewage and drainage infrastructure.

Reshma Kotb Suleiman, whose family's house was adjacent to the collapsed building, said the drainage system has completely broken down since the incident.

“Since the building collapsed, the sewage system has not been functioning properly. We are appealing to authorities to urgently repair it,” she said.

The concerns were raised on Saturday during a community clean-up exercise organised to unclog blocked drainage channels within the estate.

The exercise was led by Hassan Rasheed Biliki, founder of the Biliki Foundation, who urged the government to step in and address the long-standing drainage problem.

Residents of Nairobi South C participate in a clean-up exercise to unclog the drainage system. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Speaking to the press outside the National Criminal Investigations Academy (NCIA), Biliki said South C has been neglected for years despite its rapidly growing population.

He stressed that poor drainage during the rainy season creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes, increasing the risk of malaria outbreaks and other health hazards.

Residents of Nairobi South C participate in a clean-up exercise to unclog the drainage system. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Residents are now calling on the relevant authorities to urgently rehabilitate the drainage and sewage systems to avert further environmental and public health risks.

The clean-up exercise was sponsored by, among others Nairobi city county government and the local business community.