Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja with officials from the Nairobi River Commission and the national administration during the inspection of the site/HANDOUTThe Nairobi Rivers Commission has allayed fears that the plan to transform the polluted channel into a clean basin will be stalled by a petition before the National Assembly.
The commission’s chief executive officer Brigadier (Rtd) Joseph Muracia said the reclamation of riparian areas will proceed as planned.
“The petition will not slow down our work. We are ready to explain the situation in Parliament, as some of the things they are saying are not factual. We have records of what we have done,” Muracia said.
He added that the petitioners have already been engaged through a series of meetings.
“We are ready to defend what we are doing and the engagements we have had with them,” he said.
On Tuesday, Muracia accompanied Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and other members of a multi-agency team marked a section of the State House perimeter wall for demolition.
The exercise, conducted by officials from the Nairobi Rivers Commission and the national administration, signals the start of enforcement actions under the Nairobi River Regeneration Programme targeting structures built along riverbanks.
Sakaja said the decision followed consultations between State House and agencies implementing the programme.
“I want to thank the President. He is the primary tenant here and has led by example. If this wall at State House can come down, then every other structure along the riparian land must also be removed,” Sakaja said.
The governor said the move is part of a broader enforcement drive targeting developments along riparian reserves, which have long been blamed for narrowing waterways and contributing to flooding and pollution in the city.
Officials said the demolition at State House is expected to set a precedent for similar action across Nairobi, where structures built on riparian land have faced repeated scrutiny but uneven enforcement.
The Nairobi River Regeneration Programme, jointly implemented by national and county governments, includes restoration of river channels, relocation of affected developments and rehabilitation of surrounding infrastructure.
Sakaja said the programme also seeks to introduce non-motorised transport corridors along the rivers.
“We are restoring the Nairobi River, creating walkways, reclaiming riparian land and transforming the city. The walkways will serve as transport corridors where people can walk or cycle safely, with lighting and security,” he said.
Authorities said the project has been allocated more than Sh50 billion. The funds will cover river restoration works, construction of pedestrian paths and development of public spaces.
Some of the planned projects include upgrades around Globe Roundabout and the construction of a modern Gikomba Market. Public participation forums are also ongoing in areas such as Westlands.
Muracia said the fence is adjacent to the river, with the highest water mark at the fence.
“There are no structures except the patrol road in the riparian area, manholes and electric poles that need relocating. The exercise will continue,” he said.
On Tuesday, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula directed the Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining to fast-track consideration of a petition by Kangemi residents.
He instructed the committee to bypass the standard 60-day timeline and report within the shortest time possible.
Joseph Ngure and Mugo Gichenga have petitioned Parliament, claiming that the Nairobi Rivers Commission’s rehabilitation project could trigger mass evictions and loss of ancestral land.
Wetang’ula said while the petitioners’ concerns must be addressed, the clean-up of the city’s “choked lungs” should not be delayed by procedural bottlenecks.
“We will not give the committee the luxury of 60 days. They must finish and bring a report within the shortest time,” he directed.
“Committees have no authority to stop anything from going on; they only make recommendations for the House to consider,” he said.
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