Kiambu County is grappling with a serious environmental emergency as its once‑pristine rivers face escalating pollution, threatening the health and livelihoods of more than two million residents. According to officials, major waterways—including the Nairobi, Ruiru, Kamiti, Gatamaiyu, Thiririka, Ndarugu, and Karura rivers—are now contaminated by unchecked waste dumping, sewage from informal settlements, and agricultural runoff. Kenya News+1
Local residents describe a grim transformation. Grace Wanjiru, a Ruiru resident, recalls a time when her community could draw clean water directly from the Ruiru River:
Twenty years ago, we could fetch water … Now, the water is dark and foul‑smelling because people throw garbage, plastics, and even industrial waste into it. Our children are getting sick from waterborne diseases. Kenya News
Experts point to two main drivers of the pollution: rampant riparian farming and unregulated waste disposal. Farmers have encroached right up to the riverbanks, allowing fertilizers and pesticides to leach into the water, while nearby informal settlements dump raw sewage and solid waste into the streams. Kenya News+1 Environmental scientist Dr. James Kamau warns that heavy metals and bacteria in these waters could lead to serious health issues such as cholera, typhoid, and even cancer. Kenya News
In response, the Kiambu County Government is rolling out a multi-pronged strategy to reverse the damage. County Environment Executive Sarah Nduta announced plans to create buffer zones of at least 30 metres along all major rivers, ban farming in these riparian spaces, and relocate illegal structures. Kenya News Additionally, authorities plan to install more waste collection points in densely populated areas and organize monthly community clean-up exercises. Kenya News Enforcement of the Environmental Management and Coordination Act will be stepped up, with offenders facing fines or prosecution. Yet experts argue that lasting success will require more than clean-up: sustainable alternatives for farmers and improved waste infrastructure are needed to tackle the root causes. Kenya News
Looking ahead, Kiambu’s environmental future hinges on the county’s ability to follow through with its bold restoration plan. If buffer zones are enforced, and community involvement remains high, there is hope for reviving these vital rivers. But without sustained investment and meaningful socio-economic reforms, experts warn that the region’s water crisis could deepen — jeopardising not just ecosystems, but the well‑being of the communities that depend on them.