Why is City Hall shielding illegal developers in Fedha Estate?

In the low-lying residential area of Fetha Estate, southeast of Nairobi, seasonal rains have turned into a persistent crisis for homeowners.

Floodwaters regularly invade properties, destroy belongings and threaten the health of children and the elderly. Residents insist this is not simply a natural occurrence but the direct result of illegal constructions blocking essential drainage corridors.

The Fetha Estate Residents Association has led a determined effort to expose the issue. Chairman Martin Manoti and Secretary Paul Kibicho have gathered substantial documentation, including formal petitions, technical reports and photographic proof, submitted repeatedly to Nairobi County Government offices and national bodies. Their evidence identifies permanent structures built by influential neighbouring developers and individuals on storm-water drainage corridors and road reserves.

Root cause of the flooding

These illegal buildings create what residents describe as a “Great Wall of Negligence”, trapping rainwater within the estate and stopping it from flowing to the Ngong River. The estate becomes a concrete basin where water stagnates, causing property damage, reducing investment value and creating serious health hazards.

Despite clear warnings and mapped evidence showing the blockages, county enforcement has been notably absent. Nairobi County has acted against illegal structures elsewhere — including demolitions along drainage systems, riverbanks and riparian zones in various parts of the city — yet Fetha Estate’s repeated appeals have received little response.

Questions over selective enforcement

This pattern has sparked claims of inconsistent application of the law. Governor Johnson Sakaja has publicly attributed citywide flooding to outdated drainage systems and promised action against unauthorised developments, including a 2025 regularisation programme for buildings without approvals that meet safety standards. However, critics question why powerful interests in Fetha Estate appear protected while law-abiding residents suffer.

In recent years, Nairobi has faced repeated flooding linked to riparian and drainage encroachments, with officials vowing crackdowns in areas such as informal settlements. In Fetha Estate, where compliant homeowners bear the consequences, the response has remained limited.

Direct appeal to the governor

The residents association now makes a direct call to Governor Sakaja for personal intervention. “The ‘City of Order’ cannot stand if illegal developers strangle entire neighbourhoods with impunity,” Manoti and Kibicho stated. They demand immediate deployment of county enforcement teams and heavy machinery to clear public drainage corridors and riparian reserves.

As heavy rains continue across Nairobi, the clock is ticking. Further delays only confirm residents’ warnings through ongoing hardship. The people of Fetha Estate have upheld the law; they now expect the county government to enforce it — before the next deluge escalates a preventable crisis into a humanitarian emergency.