Nairobi County has moved to strengthen its disaster response systems after Governor Johnson Sakaja’s cabinet approved new legislation aimed at ending delayed and poorly coordinated emergency responses.
The Disaster Management Policy and Emergency Response Bill, approved during a cabinet meeting chaired by the governor, will be tabled before the County Assembly for debate and adoption.
If passed, the law will establish a 24-hour Emergency Operations Centre, fast-response teams in every borough and the Nairobi Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (NADEMA) to coordinate preparedness, response and risk reduction.
The proposals come amid recurring fires, floods, building collapses and disease outbreaks that have exposed gaps in coordination and readiness.
Governor Sakaja said the reforms prioritise planning, prevention and faster deployment of emergency services to protect lives and property across the city.
