Inside the Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Project Which Promises 30,000 Jobs

President William Ruto has launched the Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Project, which seeks to restore the lost glory of the Nairobi rivers.

Speaking in Nairobi on Monday, March 10, 2025, during the launch of the programme, Ruto promised that the project would employ at least 30,000 Kenyans within a span of two years.

The project will entail the construction od a 54-kilometer sewer line to eliminate wastewater and sewage pollution and the removal of solid waste, unclogging of the river, and widening and deepening the waterway to help control flooding.

“The Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Project integrates affordable housing, modern markets, and enhanced infrastructure, transforming Nairobi into a livable and economically vibrant city. Extending to Kiambu, Machakos, Kajiado, and Murang’a, it entails river rehabilitation, flood mitigation, waste management and 54-kilometre of new sewer lines, improving public health and urban resilience,” Ruto said.

The Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Project will also entail the construction of weir dams for control of water, construction of over 50,000 social housing units along the  waterfront, construction of community parks, halls and public toilets, construction of walkways and cycle lanes along the rivers and electrification of the walk ways and parks.

“We will also build 50,000 social houses, making sure that our youth get employed while also making the city clean. We will need 30,000 people,” Ruto added.

More under Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Project

Also in the pipeline is the construction of 44 no vehicular and pedestrian bridges, construction of wetlands to assist in water cleaning and purification, expansion of waste water treatment plant at Kariobangi for sewer treatment, construction of modern markets for traders, tree planting along riverbanks to combat soil erosion and enhance biodiversity and the rehabilitation of Dandora dumpsite.

Apart from the housing program which will be spread across the city, all other projects under the Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Project will take place along the 27.2 kilometres along Nairobi River from Naivasha Road to Dadora Falls in phase one.

Mathare and Ngong rivers will be in phase two of the program.

Climate Worx success

This comes in the wake of the Climate Worx project launched in October 2025, spanning 47 kilometers across the riparian zones of Nairobi, Mathare, and Ngong Rivers, touching all 11 sub-counties of Nairobi. The project focused on garbage collection, unclogging waterways, repairing sewer lines, sorting debris and leveling grounds for landscaping.

So far, over 82 kilometers of garbage have been collected, while 84 kilometers of river channels have been cleared of debris and waste. The sewage systems have seen significant improvements, with 45 kilometers of sewer lines cleared and 155 sewer lines repaired. Even the drainage systems, which once overflowed with every rain, have been cleared across 66 kilometers, reducing flooding and waterlogging in flood-prone areas.

Across Nairobi, approximately 21,493 young people—many of whom had been trapped in cycles of crime, drugs, and hopelessness—have found a new path forward. Through meaningful work, they are now contributing to the restoration of their community while earning an income and reclaiming their dignity.

Read: The Nairobi Rivers of Hope: How Climate Worx Has Restored Flow of Beauty

>>> How Climate Worx Will Create Jobs for Kenyan Youth