Nairobi is currently undergoing an Sh80 billion transformation under the “Nairobi Rising” agenda, an ambitious intergovernmental pact designed to pull the capital out of its cycle of disaster. The roadmap includes a Sh25 billion overhaul of the city’s drainage and a Sh33 billion investment in expanding sewer systems and restoring polluted waterways. This represents the most significant attempt in recent history to decouple the city’s stormwater from its sewage, a move intended to end the perennial outbreaks of cholera and typhoid that follow every flood.

A central pillar of this new vision is the decommissioning of the notorious Dandora dumpsite. Long a source of environmental and health risks, Dandora is slated to be replaced by a modern waste-to-energy plant in Ruai that will generate between 45 and 70 megawatts of electricity. By transitioning to a circular economy, the government hopes to eliminate the plastic debris that currently chokes the city’s drains, which costs an estimated KES 4.5 billion annually in reactive mitigation.

However, the success of “Nairobi Rising” hinges on institutional reform and accountability. The plan includes the creation of a specialized Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit to enforce zoning laws and protect reclaimed riparian land, but critics warn of the “financial hangover” left by previous interventions. For the residents of Nairobi, the stakes could not be higher; as the April 2026 waste management launch approaches, the city is betting billions that it can finally build the resilience needed to survive its own growth.

References:

Capital News Sewerage and Sanitation Take Centre Stage in Nairobi’s Sh80bn Development Plan

People Daily Ruto unveils plan for a major overhaul of Dandora dumpsite

Big 3 Africa Nairobi Waste to Energy Transformation