The government has announced plans to mark and fence off all riparian land in Nairobi County to prevent further settlement and address national disasters.
Deputy Government Spokesperson Gabriel Muthuma revealed during an interview on Spice FM that President William Ruto and officials will oversee the evacuation and subsequent tree-planting efforts in the marked areas.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki emphasized the transformation of these areas into recreational spots for Kenyans, stating, “We are reclaiming it, fencing it off, and planting trees. We are making it a recreational area for Kenyans. However, we will no longer allow settlements there.”
Furthermore, a registration exercise is underway for individuals affected by the demolitions, with their names being added to a database for priority allocation of the first 20,000 social houses under the Affordable Housing Programme. Muthuma highlighted the significance of this initiative, stating, “The database is being compiled to prioritize Kenyans for the social housing program. They will continue paying the Ksh3,000 until they own the houses.”
Over 100,000 individuals have already been evacuated from riparian land in areas such as Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Mathare, and Kibera, with the government also offering financial assistance of Ksh10,000 to those affected. This comprehensive project signals a significant step towards environmental conservation and disaster prevention in Nairobi County.