‘Nothing has come from govt, we help ourselves’ – Mathare slum residents cry after flooding
Residents of Mathare slums have said they feel abandoned by the government after floods wreaked havoc claiming lives and leaving many of them displaced.
Speaking to CNN journalist Larry Madowo, one of the residents said they have neither received any help from the government nor has a rescue team been sent to the area.
The lack of government response has forced the community to rely solely on its resources to cope with the flooding and its aftermath.
"Nothing has come from the government, we only help ourselves because no one has come to our rescue," Jecinta Agunja, the resident said.
Mathare residents believe that the government would have acted swiftly if the flooding had occurred in a more affluent area.
"If it was somewhere else, maybe middle class or high class, the government could have responded ASAP," Agunja added.
"Nothing has come from the government, we only help ourselves."
The people of Mathare lift each other up when their leaders fail them pic.twitter.com/hkrLTyk3T9— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) April 25, 2024
Mathare death toll
The death toll from the Mathare River floods has climbed to 13 as of Thursday morning, with the recovery of three additional bodies, consisting of two men and a teenage girl, ongoing.
Starahe police chief Fred Abuga reported that a collaborative search effort by the Nairobi County Government and the Kenya Red Cross is still underway.
On Wednesday, ten bodies were recovered from the river following heavy rainfall in Nairobi on Tuesday evening.
In a statement on Wednesday, April 24, the Kenya Red Cross (KRC) highlighted the areas severely affected by adverse weather conditions.
Mathare was among the many places on the receiving end of the torrential rains.
According to the KRC, numerous parts of Nairobi bore the brunt of the intense rainfall overnight, leading to flash floods in various neighbourhoods.
"Many parts of Nairobi have experienced heavy rainfall overnight, resulting in flash floods in areas such as Mukuru, Mathare, Huruma, Ruaraka, Baba Dogo, Bosnia, Umoja 3, Choka, Njiru, Ruai, Utawala, Githurai, Kahawa, Eastern Bypass, Kinoo, Kijabe, Limuru, Ruiru, Graceland, Joska, Kaswito, Kicheko, Mangili, Kenyatta Road, Juja, Kitengela, and Magadi," the statement from the KRC revealed.
Sakaja to Nairobi residents
On April 21, in a press statement, Governor Johnson Sakaja reassured residents of the city that proactive measures were underway to address the ongoing flood situation.
Sakaja disclosed that collaborative efforts between the mobility and works team, alongside the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), were actively ensuring the accessibility of roads despite the challenges posed by flooding.
Additionally, the governor affirmed that emergency response teams, including the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC), as well as health, wellness, nutrition, mobility, and disaster management units, had been dispatched to affected areas to mitigate the impact of the floods.
Sakaja urged residents to remain vigilant and exercise caution, especially those residing near riverbanks.
He further advised individuals living in estates or buildings encroaching on river areas to evacuate promptly for their safety.
The governor urged residents to heed warnings and advisories issued by relevant authorities and to refrain from unnecessary travel in flood-prone zones.
He assured the public that all county emergency services were on standby and prepared to offer assistance.
In the event of an emergency, residents were encouraged to contact the county hotline at 1508 for immediate support.
