The government has deployed a fleet of mobile sewerage units to flush out blocked lines across the capital, marking a tactical shift in the war to save the Nairobi River.

This "rapid response" initiative is part of the colossal Ksh 50 billion Nairobi River Regeneration Programme, announced in March 2025. While the long-term plan involves constructing a massive new trunk sewer to replace the colonial-era infrastructure, the immediate crisis of raw sewage flowing into the river demands boots—and trucks—on the ground now.

A City Choking on Waste

Nairobi's sewerage coverage stands at a dismal 48-50%. The rest of the city relies on septic tanks or, tragically, illegal discharge into storm drains that feed the river. The new mobile units are designed to access informal settlements and high-density estates where traditional heavy machinery cannot reach.

"We are fighting a war on two fronts," explains a senior engineer at Athi Water Works Development Agency. "The trunk sewer is the strategic victory we need for 2030. The mobile units are the tactical firefight we need today. Every blockage we clear is one less gallon of poison entering the river."

• The Mega Sewer: The broader project includes a new 440km network of sewer lines intended to raise coverage to 55% and serve over 400,000 additional residents in areas like Kasarani and Githurai.
• Enforcement: The deployment comes with a warning. NEMA and county officials are cracking down on landlords who have deliberately connected their properties to the river. "The mobile units will flush the lines, but the law will flush out the polluters," warned Governor Johnson Sakaja.

Can It Work This Time?

Skeptics abound. Previous river clean-up attempts, led by everyone from John Michuki to the Nairobi Rivers Commission, have yielded temporary aesthetic improvements but failed to stop the flow of effluent. The difference this time, officials claim, is the focus on the source—the sewer lines—rather than just cleaning the water.

As the mobile units rumble into the slums of Mathare and Kibra, they carry more than just high-pressure hoses; they carry the desperate hope of a city trying to reclaim its lifeline from decades of filth.