Govt's Plan To Create Parks From Reclaimed Riparian Land

The government has embarked on comprehensive plans to create more parks from reclaimed riparian land where Kenyans can access them free of charge.

This was announced on Monday, May 27 by Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki who revealed that the comprehensive project, in response to the recent torrential rains and devastating floods that resulted in the deaths of over 300 Kenyans and widespread destruction of property, seeks to reclaim, rehabilitate, and regenerate the Nairobi Rivers riparian reserves.

According to Kindiki, this initiative aims to prevent future tragedies like the one that occurred in Nairobi, where dozens of families were swept away by floodwaters in illegally constructed residential structures within the riparian reserves of the Nairobi, Mathare, Ngong, and other tributaries.

The government invoked laws on public security by issuing a 24-hour notice on May 2, 2024, for all individuals residing or conducting activities within the 30-meter riparian corridor to relocate voluntarily or face compulsory evacuation. 

This move, aimed at protecting public safety, has seen significant compliance, with 40,000 households comprising 181,000 individuals relocating from the affected areas.

“The whole idea is to bring this other 100,000 into the roll and start charging them rates so that you meet your target without burdening whoever is already compliant,” said Kindiki.

The prohibition of illegal structures within the riparian reserves is part of a broader national security project to enhance Nairobi's resilience to climate change and mitigate the impacts of future floods.

The government also aims to eliminate criminal activities along the riverbanks by removing unlawful structures used for the manufacture and sale of illicit substances and by providing safer community spaces.

“To prevent re-encroachment, the reclaimed riparian reserves are being fenced and trenched. The exercise of unclogging, draining, and rehabilitating the natural waterways of the rivers is set to commence shortly,” he stated in the press release.

The government will soon begin unclogging and rehabilitating the natural waterways, planting riverine ecosystem trees, and establishing recreational facilities accessible to the public for free.

This project will involve local communities, utilizing paid labour and purchasing seedlings from local Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and youth groups.

The relocation process has been smooth, with strict instructions to security personnel to avoid violence and ensure that the public can retrieve their belongings.

Additionally, the government is providing a one-off support payment of Ksh10,000 to each of the 40,000 affected households.

So far, 25,000 households have received this support, with the remainder expected to receive their payments by May 31, 2024. Those displaced will also receive priority consideration in the ongoing affordable housing program.

“Members of the public must be allowed to vacate structures or premises which are the subject for removal and to retrieve their belongings,” Kindiki emphasized.

This initiative carried out purely in the interest of public security and safety, underscores the government's commitment to the reclamation and regeneration of the Nairobi Rivers riparian reserves, free from any partisan, ethnic, or parochial interests. 

“The Government will pursue to the end the national interest of the reclamation, rehabilitation, and regeneration of the Nairobi Rivers riparian reserves without any regard whatsoever for partisan, ethnic, or other parochial interests,” concluded Kindiki.

An AI-generated image of a park with a river in Kenya. /VIRAL TEA KE.GEMINI AI