Residents of Ziwa la Ng’ombe in Nyali Sub-county have raised alarm over persistent flooding that has disrupted livelihoods, exposed families to disease and hampered movement, even as Mombasa County officials pledge long-term drainage solutions.
The residents say the situation worsens during rainy seasons, with stagnant and contaminated water filling roads and residential areas due to the absence of a proper drainage system.
Speaking to the press, a resident, Kennedy Nzai said the community has endured the problem for years without meaningful intervention.
“We are asking our leaders to help us solve this problem that we face every day. In our area, during rainy seasons people move through dirty water alongside vehicles. There is no proper drainage system, and many areas are flooded,” said Nzai.
He noted that the current flooding has forced some residents to relocate temporarily, while businesses have been forced to close and that the situation poses serious health risks of waterborne diseases such as cholera and diarrhea have become common during heavy rains especially to children.
“Our children walk through dirty, garbage-filled water, which leads to disease. We voted believing we would be helped, but we have not seen any assistance. We sincerely ask for a permanent solution to this water problem,” he said.
Another resident, Abdala Abdurahman, attributed the continued flooding to leadership failure and lack of local representation.
“This water problem has existed for many years, I blame the leaders we elected for failing to care about us. Often, they are not from this area, so they do not understand our struggles.” said Abdurahman.
He called on the County Government of Mombasa to allocate sufficient resources and engage qualified professionals to address the issue.
“We ask the governor to allocate a budget and seek competent engineers to build a proper and lasting drainage system that will solve this problem completely.” he said.
Abdurahman also alleged mismanagement of previous funds intended for drainage works.
“There was funding from Bamburi Cement, but the money was lost due to corruption. Only a 20-foot pit was dug, and within one hour it filled with water. No meaningful work was done,” he claimed.
In response, Mombasa County Executive Committee Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Governance, Daniel Manyala, acknowledged the challenges and assured residents that efforts are ongoing to address them.
“Residents are advised to remain cautious during heavy rains and move to safer areas when necessary; however, there are challenges in areas like Dimbwini, where there is a seasonal river, and the cost of constructing a permanent solution is currently high,” said Manyala.
County Chief Officer for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works, Ally Shariff, said the department has already developed plans for modern drainage systems in affected areas.
“In Nyali, especially Ziwa la Ng’ombe and Frere Town, there is a lack of drainage systems connecting to the main Malindi Road under construction. We have designed modern closed drainage systems that will connect to the new road,” said Shariff.
He explained that the existing vertical drains are clogged with silt and require urgent cleaning, adding that the proposed horizontal closed drainage system is expected to provide a lasting solution.
“Once completed, this system is expected to fully resolve the flooding problems in Ziwa la Ng’ombe, Frere Town, and Bombolulu,” he said.
By Ramadhan Nassib
