Eric Omondi rallies Nairobi residents for clean-up to manage floods

Kenyan comedian, Eric Omondi calling upon Nairobi residents for a city clean up./SCREEN GRAB

Kenyan comedian Eric Omondi has urged Nairobi residents to take part in a citywide clean-up exercise this Saturday following recent floods that disrupted transport and left several areas waterlogged.

In a video message, Omondi urged Nairobians to converge at Uhuru Park at 8 am for what he described as a citizen-led effort to restore cleanliness in the capital and reduce the risk of further flooding.

The initiative, dubbed #FagiaNairobi, is expected to mobilise volunteers to clear garbage, unclog blocked drainage systems and collect waste from key sections of the city that have been affected by poor waste disposal and heavy rainfall.

“Nairobi is our city, Nairobi is our home, Nairobi is where we live, Nairobi is where our mothers work,” Omondi said in the message while rallying residents to participate in the exercise.

Eric Omondi along one of the rivers that overflowed during the flood incident /SCREEN GRAB

Participants have been asked to come equipped with cleaning tools such as brooms, rakes and garbage bags. After gathering at Uhuru Park, volunteers will disperse to different parts of the city including roundabouts, markets and busy streets where drainage systems have been clogged by trash.

Some groups are expected to head towards areas such as Koja and Kariokor within the central business district, where waste accumulation and blocked drainage channels have been cited as contributing factors to flooding during heavy rains.

Omondi said the clean-up is also seeks to encourage residents to take responsibility for the environment rather than waiting for government interventions.

“Because we are clearly on our own, we will take responsibility. We will not wait on our leaders and we will not wait for committees sitting in boardrooms. We will take ownership of Nairobi,” he said.

Eric Omondi in company of two men who have pledged to show up for the citywide clean up /SCREEN GRAB

The comedian warned that the city remains vulnerable to further flooding if drainage systems remain blocked, noting that many motorists and commuters have already experienced the consequences of the recent downpours.

“We do not know the next time the floods will hit. It could be tonight, it could be tomorrow, it could be next week. You could be the next person stuck in that car, or your mother could be the next person stuck in that bus,” he said.

For residents who may not be able to travel to Uhuru Park, Omondi encouraged them to organise similar clean-up activities within their own neighbourhoods. He specifically mentioned areas such as South B, South C, Ngara and the Thika Road corridor as places where residents can carry out localized clean-ups.

Participants will also be encouraged to document their efforts by taking photos and sharing them online using the #FagiaNairobi hashtag to inspire wider participation across the city.

Through the campaign, Omondi hopes to inspire a culture of civic responsibility among Nairobians while demonstrating that collective action can play a role in improving sanitation and environmental conditions in the city.