The measures are designed to strengthen the town’s drainage system against increased stormwater and to protect residents and property in areas that have previously suffered flooding and erosion.
Mandera Municipal Manager Motker Mohamed Noor said the Municipality has prioritised early interventions in flood-prone zones, including the clearing and desilting of culverts and the upgrading of existing drainage infrastructure.
“The Municipality has undertaken protection works along the two main existing riparian areas. We have also undertaken stepped gabion protection works along Busle streams,” Noor said.
The gabion structures are meant to control stream-bank erosion, which has previously threatened properties neighbouring the Busle streams.
Bulla Barwaqo, Bulla Township and Bulla Green have been identified as among the areas most vulnerable to flash floods. Bulla Barwaqo faces exposure to floodwater originating across the border in Somalia, while Bulla Township is at risk of runoff from Bulla Hawa, and Bulla Green from water flowing in from Qarba Qoley.
To bolster resilience in Bulla Barwaqo, the Municipality has constructed a 650 metre trapezoidal drainage channel to ease the movement of stormwater and reduce flooding.
Routine maintenance is also under way, including the cleaning and unclogging of culverts within Mandera’s Central Business District. Additional works are planned to unclog, repair and maintain culverts and open side drains in areas where drainage capacity falls short.
Roads serving critical public facilities, among them markets, hospitals, schools and mosques, have been prioritised, with some earmarked for an upgrade to gravel standard to improve access during the rainy season.
The county is also pushing residents to take precautions at household level. Noor cautioned against blocking natural waterways with makeshift barriers, noting that some residents have resorted to using murram to build barriers around their compounds, a practice that can obstruct water channels and divert floodwater into neighbouring homes.
Residents planning to build dykes, terraces, embankments or other flood-protection structures have been advised to first seek technical guidance from the Municipality to avoid interfering with natural drainage.
The public has further been urged to steer clear of low-lying, flood-prone areas during heavy rainfall and to never attempt to cross fast-moving floodwater on foot or in vehicles. Households have also been encouraged to inspect and repair roofs and to make arrangements to protect children, older persons and persons with disabilities.
The preparedness drive comes as Mandera continues to grapple with increasingly erratic weather patterns. Although the county is largely arid and semi-arid, and has long contended with drought and water scarcity, intense rainfall events can trigger rapid runoff and flash floods, particularly where drainage capacity is limited.
Past flooding episodes have exposed the vulnerability of settlements situated close to natural drainage channels and riparian zones, prompting the Municipality to shift its approach towards prevention and early action, addressing drainage bottlenecks and reinforcing at-risk areas ahead of the rains.
