NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 10 – The Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Project (NRRP) marked National Mazingira (Environment) Day 2025 with a field tour showcasing progress in efforts to restore the Nairobi, Mathare, and Ngong rivers — the city’s critical water arteries long burdened by pollution and unplanned development.
The Sh50 billion initiative, launched in March 2025 by President William Ruto, aims to transform the river corridor into a clean, resilient, and inclusive urban ecosystem by 2027. It brings together national and county governments, development partners, and local communities to restore Nairobi’s environmental health and liveability.
For decades, the river system has mirrored the city’s environmental challenges — from raw sewage and solid waste dumping to encroachment and industrial discharge. Up to 60 percent of wastewater entering the rivers has been untreated, worsening floods and disease outbreaks in informal settlements such as Korogocho, Kamukunji, and Lucky Summer.
Lt. Col. Kahigu Njoroge, NRRP Project Manager, said the project marks a shift from short-term cleanups to long-term renewal.
“We are rebuilding Nairobi from its rivers outward — restoring riparian land, improving sanitation, and creating green spaces,” he said. “This is not just about cleaning a river; it’s about restoring the city’s dignity and resilience.”
The Mazingira Day media tour covered sites at Kamukunji Grounds, City Cotton, Lucky Summer, and the Dandora dumpsite, where the team showcased clearance works, riverbank stabilization, and waste management systems. At Dandora, where nearly 300 metres of the river were buried under waste, the team demonstrated efforts to restore flow and reclaim the area.
The NRRP is anchored on five key pillars: flood control, sanitation and sewer systems, urban transport, catchment restoration, and urban landscaping. Major works include a 60-kilometre trunk sewer line from Ondiri Swamp (Kikuyu) to Ruai, and a decentralized wastewater treatment plant in Kariobangi, among others.
Maureen Njeri, County Executive Commissioner for Green Nairobi, emphasized the central role of communities:
“The people living along Nairobi River are not bystanders — they are partners in this transformation. Their participation in greening, waste management, and advocacy ensures the regeneration benefits all.”
Community groups have already begun to see social benefits. Josephat Karomi, Chairperson of the Kamukunji Nairobi River Community, said youth have been engaged in clean-ups and sports initiatives.
“This project has given young people purpose — from planting trees to playing football on new pitches. It’s changing lives, not just landscapes,” he said.
The river corridor has been designated a Special Planning Area (SPA) under the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019, freezing new developments within a 60-metre buffer zone to enable a participatory planning process.
Pollution from the rivers currently affects 2.5 million residents and threatens downstream water bodies, including Thwake Dam. The NRRP aims to reverse this trend through engineering, governance, and community-driven restoration.
Lt. Col. Njoroge concluded: “Every restored metre of riverbank brings us closer to a fairer, cleaner, and healthier Nairobi — where green spaces, safe housing, and clean water are a shared reality for all.”
