Marsabit Municipality has launched a major drainage clearance drive in the CBD ahead of anticipated heavy El Niño rains.
The initiative is being executed in partnership with Mercy Corps and the Strategies for Northern Development (SND) Range Project.
Together, the agencies are unblocking waterways to prevent loss of life, urban flooding and property destruction.
Municipal environment officer Adhi Sora said the exercise was part of broader efforts to improve urban management and address recurring flooding in the town.
She said the partnership with the SND Range Project had enabled targeted drainage works in flood-prone areas, with dedicated teams opening and deepening channels, removing obstructions and improving stormwater flow.
Sora urged residents and traders to dispose of waste responsibly and refrain from dumping plastics into drainage channels, warning that clogged systems exacerbate flooding and undermine public sanitation.
“Improper disposal of waste, especially plastics, severely hinders our operations by clogging drainage systems and complicating our sanitation maintenance efforts,” she said.
“Waste management is a collective responsibility. It does not rest solely on service providers; it begins at the household level, which is the only way to ensure our environment remains clean.”
Sora also encouraged residents to utilise designated waste disposal sites and adopt rainwater harvesting ahead of the rainy season.
SND Range Project crisis modifier officer Bonaya Malla said the organisation, together with the municipality and Mercy Corps, had strengthened coordination and information-sharing networks to bolster local preparedness.
Malla said partners would ensure early-warning information on emerging flood risks reaches communities promptly, enabling swift emergency responses by authorities and residents alike.
“Disaster preparedness begins at the community level. By working collaboratively, we can ensure communities are not only informed about potential risks, but are also equipped to take timely precautionary action. We cannot afford further loss of life during the upcoming rains,” he said.
Malla urged residents to keep waterways clear, avoid flood-prone zones and identify safe routes and emergency shelters before the rains intensify.
He said the organisation was concurrently executing mass livestock vaccination, livestock and fodder offtake, rangeland restoration and drainage clearing.
County spokesperson Alexander Abduba said effective disaster risk management requires structured coordination between county agencies, local communities and development partners.
He commended the support from the SND Range Project in clearing drainage networks in Marsabit town and acknowledged its ongoing interventions across the county.
“Effective disaster management relies on seamless collaboration among government agencies, communities, and key stakeholders. Our partnership with the SND Range Project will significantly strengthen community-level preparedness, communication flows and early intervention ahead of the rainy season,” he said.
The drainage works coincide with heightened warnings from authorities urging urban populations to prepare for heavy rainfall, as unblocked waterways remain critical to preventing flash floods and protecting infrastructure.
