Residents of Mukuru-kwa-Njenga need urgent help. Floods have destroyed their belongings and, in some cases, their homes.
Over 500 households in one of Nairobi’s slums have been severely affected by floods. The area, neighbouring Nairobi’s main industrial area, is one of those adversely affected by the recent heavy rains.
Some of the affected homes are no longer habitable. Hence, residents are seeking ways to salvage the household items they can.
Labour Day Rains in Kenya
As COTU and most of Kenya’s leadership commemorated Labour Day in Vihiga County yesterday, the effects of heavy rains were felt in several parts of the country.
In some areas, the rains, which have been falling for much of the week, interfered with the decentralized May Day celebrations.
In Nairobi, the rains, which were particularly heavy on Thursday night, continued up to Friday in some places. As a result, floods and related obstacles caused massive traffic jams.
In Mukuru-kwa-Njenga, people could be seen wading through water between houses, which in some instances reached knee level.
There were disheartening scenes of residents trying to scoop water out of their flooded living rooms. In one house, it was only after scooping out several basins of water that the owners could identify any clothing items and utensils that could be salvaged.
The nightmare started on Thursday night when water flooded the houses. Residents were forced to seek refuge in the dark of night. Some braced the cold in open structures, which nevertheless had upper-level floors.
Shop owners were also left counting losses. Those who deal with sensitive goods, such as foodstuffs and electronics, were particularly badly hit, as water destroyed their merchandise.
Kenya’s meteorological department has cautioned that the rains could continue for a few more days. However, it is unclear whether the anticipated rains will be as heavy as those in the first quarter of 2024.
At that time, Nairobi was heavily flooded, and several people died. Many residents of Mukuru-kwa-Njenga would even seek refuge on rooftops until they were evacuated.