07/03/2026
The Deluge in Nairobi: A Grim Reminder that Climate Change Does Not Discriminate, but Adaptation Must
By: Joseph Gathuka, Executive Director, Stewards of Change Community Based Organization
Over the past several days, Nairobi has been a city under water. As the Executive Director of Stewards of change CBO Mount-Up Ventures Stewards of Change CBO, an organization accredited to UN-Habitat, I have spent my career advocating for sustainable urban development. However, nothing could have prepared me or the residents of our capital for the sheer scale of destruction wrought by the recent floods.
We are witnessing a tragedy unfold in real-time. As I move through the affected neighborhoods, the scenes are heartbreaking: cars that once represented a family’s lifeline now lie crumpled against walls or completely submerged in muddy waters. The Nairobi Expressway, a symbol of modern Kenyan infrastructure and efficiency, was rendered immobile, clogged with stranded vehicles as the deluge overwhelmed its drainage systems. It is a stark visual metaphor—even our most advanced infrastructure is vulnerable when nature unleashes its fury.
The human cost is unbearable. At the time of writing, the death toll has surpassed a dozen souls, snatched away by flash floods in informal settlements and along treacherous roads. Property worth millions has been destroyed, livelihoods washed away in minutes. Yet, amidst this chaos, a cruel reality is settling in: for most of these families, there will be no insurance compensation.
The concept of insurance remains a luxury in many parts of our city. The poor, who often build their homes on riparian land or in flood-prone zones out of economic necessity, have no policies to cash in. They are left to rely on the goodwill of neighbors and the overstretched resources of well-wishers. Meanwhile, the middle class, whose cars and electronics are now destroyed, are discovering the hard way that "acts of God" clauses often leave them uncompensated if they lacked specific comprehensive flood coverage. This begs a critical question: In the face of climate change, should the government step in to act as an insurer of last resort? Perhaps, but compensation after the fact, while necessary for relief, is the most expensive and least effective way to handle a crisis.
The UN-Habitat Mandate: Building Forward, Not Just Rebuilding
As a UN-Habitat accredited organization, Stewards of Change views these events through the lens of urban planning. We have long warned, alongside our partners at UN-Habitat and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), that Nairobi is a city sitting on a climate time bomb due to poor planning.
We cannot continue to build the same way and expect different results. The current crisis underscores the urgent need to shift from reactive emergency response to proactive adaptation. We must rethink our urban infrastructure to be resilient to climate change. This means:
1. Enforcing Planning Laws: We must stop approving developments on wetlands, riparian reserves, and drainage paths. These natural systems are not wasted land; they are our city’s sponges. When we build on them, we block the water’s natural flow, directing it into our homes and businesses.
2. Nature-Based Solutions: We need to work with UNEP to integrate green infrastructure—like expanding urban forests, creating permeable pavements, and rehabilitating our riparian corridors. These solutions absorb excess water and reduce the speed of runoff.
3. Robust Engineering: The clogging of the Expressway should be a wake-up call to the Kenya National Highways Authority and the Nairobi Metropolitan Area. Our drainage systems must be designed for the "new normal"—more intense rainfall events than what historical data predicted.
The Cry of the Rich and the Plight of the Poor
There is a tendency to frame climate change as a problem only for the poor living in slums. The floods of 2024 have shattered that myth. When the Expressway—used primarily by the region's wealthy and middle class—was clogged and impassable, it sent a clear message: a changing climate does not check your bank balance before it strikes. The rich cry too when their luxury vehicles are swept away, and when their estates in upmarket areas are cut off by flooded roads.
However, while the pain is universal, the ability to recover is not. The rich may cry, but they have savings, insurance, and alternative accommodation. The poor, however, drown—literally and figuratively. They lose their identity cards, their small businesses' stock, and their photo albums. Their recovery is measured in years, if not decades.
The Way Forward: Early Warning and Swift Response
We cannot stop the rain, but we can stop the death. Adaptation means investing heavily in early warning systems. We must utilize the technology and expertise from partners like UNDRR (UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction) to ensure that a forecast of heavy rain doesn't just sit on a meteorologist's desk but translates into actionable alerts sent directly to the mobile phones of those in vulnerable areas. It means the government must have the pre-positioned resources and capacity for a swift response before the waters rise, not just during the rescue.
To the national and county governments, I say this: The cost of inaction is already being counted in lost lives and property. Let the images of these flooded streets, the stranded cars, and the grieving families serve as the catalyst we need. We must build a Nairobi that is resilient, planned, and safe for everyone.
The Stewards of Change CBO remains committed to working with UN-Habitat and all stakeholders to advocate for an urban future where our infrastructure protects us, rather than failing us, when the next storm inevitably comes.
