Mugumo Estate residents in Kiambu are raising the alarm over possible flooding as heavy rains loom. The residents want the County Government to urgently fix the area’s drainage system, citing the devastation witnessed during the 2024 rains.
The residents say they have not forgotten the devastation caused by heavy rains in 2024, when storm water flooded homes and damaged property.
They have now called on the Kiambu County Government to urgently intervene before the situation gets worse. The residents held a meeting with Kiambu Town Municipal Manager Ruth Muthoni to seek lasting solutions to the flooding menace.
Muthoni said the County Government is prioritizing flood mitigation measures in Mugumo following appeals from residents. She said technical surveys have already been conducted to identify the infrastructure required, adding that emergency funding has been allocated to address the flooding vulnerabilities.
Muthoni said planning for the Mugumo drainage project has been expedited, even as similar projects continue in other parts of the municipality.
But residents remain skeptical, citing what they describe as failed interventions in the past.
Doreen Manyara said storm water overflows towards residential compounds whenever it rains heavily, posing a serious threat to homes and property. She claims that in 2024, the County Government began excavation works but failed to provide construction materials, forcing residents to buy culverts at their own cost.
Residents further warned that the lack of a proper sewerage system could worsen the situation, with septic pits overflowing during heavy rains and contaminating flood waters with raw sewage.
Long-term resident Beatrice Ndung’u says recurring floods and sewage contamination have exposed families to serious environmental and health risks.
The residents are now demanding immediate remedial measures, saying they will not allow further excavation until the County Government demonstrates its commitment by providing the required construction materials.
They want a permanent drainage and sanitation solution implemented before the onset of the heavy rains.
