Heavy rains pounded Eldoret on Wednesday evening, leaving the city grappling with severe flooding that brought traffic, businesses, and daily activities to a standstill.
Videos and images from the scene showed motorists struggling to navigate through submerged streets as water gushed with the intensity of a fast-moving stream. Nandi Road was the worst hit, virtually turning into a river and rendering parts of the city impassable. Even larger vehicles, including lorries outside Naivas Supermarket at Kitmatt Centre, were seen struggling to wade through the floodwaters.
The flooding sparked an uproar among residents, many of whom took to social media to express frustration with the county’s handling of drainage infrastructure. “All this stems from poor drainage in the city that prides itself on being the Royal County. It’s time the county authorities stayed awake to address the drainage standoff,” one resident lamented. Another added, “They should not continue to overlook such a critical issue. The city deserves a standard and effective drainage system that matches its growing status.”
Some even proposed radical solutions, such as digging tunnels 50 feet beneath the city’s streets to channel water directly into River Sosiani.
Eldoret’s drainage system, designed decades ago for a population of only a few thousand, has long struggled to keep pace with rapid urbanisation. With over 500,000 residents today and its recent elevation to city status, the strain on its infrastructure has become more apparent during heavy rains.
Experts note that Eldoret’s woes mirror those of other urban centres such as Nairobi, where poor drainage has led to frequent flooding in the Central Business District and neighbourhoods like Parklands. Nairobi’s Chief Officer for Environment, Geoffrey Mosiria, recently attributed recurrent flooding in the capital to haphazard construction, including buildings erected over natural water channels like the River Kibagare.
