Kirinyaga County Gov’t demolishes illegal structures blocking drainage systems to curb flooding

The Kirinyaga County Government has commenced an operation to remove all illegal structures erected on drainage systems as part of ongoing efforts to mitigate flooding ahead of the expected rains.

The exercise, targeting all major towns, involves the excavation and clearance of drains, restoration of natural waterways, and public education on flood risks, among other measures.

The operation, which involves business community leaders, enforcement officers, and the police, commenced early Thursday in Kagio Town with the demolition of structures built on or along drainage systems.

County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Environment, Energy, Climate Change, Natural Resources, Water, and Irrigation, James Mutugi, said the illegal structures have been the main cause of the perennial flooding witnessed in the town during the rainy season.

“We are here today to ensure that we clear our drainage systems in preparation for the rainy season. During the rains, this town experiences a lot of flooding, and as you can see, most of the structures have been built on drainage systems. There is no way we can stop flooding if the drainage canals are blocked,” Mutugi said.

Mutugi noted that the County Government had issued vacate notices to all traders who had erected structures on top of stormwater drainage systems, but a few had failed to comply by the expiry of the notices.

“We issued two-week notices to all those who had built structures on drainage systems, and about 90 per cent of them have complied. We are asking residents to avoid putting up structures along drainage systems so that we can keep our towns clean and stop flooding,” he added.

The CECM said that, apart from blocking the drainage systems, the mushrooming of illegal structures had made it difficult to properly clean the town.

He added that with the onset of the October rains, the County Government has intensified efforts to unblock all drainage systems to ensure the free flow of stormwater.

Mutugi said the decision to remove the illegal structures was reached following a meeting between the County Government and officials of the Kagio business community lobby.

He further cautioned property owners against connecting their sewer lines to stormwater drainage systems, noting that the drains are meant exclusively for rainwater.

“We are putting on notice those who direct wastewater into the drainage system. The drainage is meant for stormwater, not sewage. Every building should have a functional waste disposal mechanism,” he said.

The CECM added that similar operations will be rolled out in other major towns across the county as part of a broader environmental management and climate resilience initiative.

“This exercise is being extended to all towns within Kirinyaga. We urge residents to cooperate so that we can make our county clean, flood-free, and environmentally safe,” Mutugi disclosed.