Business

Nairobi swims while anger boils over after floods

By Patel Okumu | Friday, January 5, 2024

The heavens unleashed a torrent of fury upon Nairobi, transforming the city's vibrant pulse into a waterlogged maze.

The heavens unleashed a torrent of fury upon Nairobi, transforming the ever-busy city pulse into a waterlogged maze. Roads once teeming with life – Jogoo, Muthurwa Market, Uhuru Highway, Kenyatta Avenue, even the new Green Park terminal – lay submerged under a relentless deluge. Mbagathi, Mombasa, and Langata roads weren't spared, snarling traffic and testing the patience of commuters.

At Gikomba Market, despair replaced the usual unmelodious tune of haggling. Traders watched helplessly as their merchandise became casualties of the rising waters. The makeshift bridge across the Nairobi River, a lifeline for many, stood desolate, swallowed by the angry current. This scene of devastation wasn't confined to Gikomba. From Eastleigh's flooded pathways to Mathare's temporary swamp, Shauro Moyo's overflowing lanes, and Kariokor's submerged alleys, the story was the same: a city drowning under its own lack of preparedness.

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Frustration simmered amidst the chaos, directed squarely at City Hall. "Warnings were ignored, infrastructure neglected," fumed Lucy Wambui, stranded on a flooded Uhuru Highway. "Drainage systems are a joke! We deserve better than excuses," echoed Peter Maina, reflecting the sentiment of many.

In Muthurwa market where stalls overflowed with rain-soaked merchandise, rendering traders like Mama Akinyi speechless. "Since 4pm, my tomatoes have been swimming," she lamented, pointing to her ruined stock. "The Nairobi County Government promised good drainage, but where is it?"

Nairobi, under a relentless downpour, exposed its vulnerability. Despite repeated warnings from the Kenya Meteorological Department, the city seemed caught off guard, forcing residents to navigate watery streets and grapple with the consequences.

The anger spilled onto social media. Memes surfaced, showcasing flooded roundabouts as swimming pools and submerged buildings as aquatic resorts. But the humor couldn't mask the underlying fury. "We elected Sakaja for change," tweeted @NairobianPatriot. "Change, apparently, means drowning in our own streets."