Drowning in Injustice: How Climate Change and Neglect Left a Community Underwater

On the night of April 26, 2024, the people of Mabatini, a neighborhood in Mathare, Nairobi, were forced to make impossible choices. As relentless rains pounded the city, the Mathare River swelled beyond its banks, flooding homes and turning streets into deadly torrents. Families scrambled to escape, carrying what little they could, if they were lucky enough to escape at all. Among them was Melvine, a young mother clutching her 8-month-old daughter, Gloria. With water rushing into her home, she had mere seconds to decide: stay and risk being trapped or run with nothing but her child in her arms. She chose survival. That night, she and countless others lost their homes, their belongings, and their sense of security. But the flood was not just an act of nature, it was a disaster decades in the making. Mathare, like many informal settlements, sits on the frontlines of climate change, yet remains invisible to those with the power to act. Poor drainage, fragile housing, and years of neglect turned heavy rains into a catastrophe. In the days that followed, hope emerged from within the community itself. Grassroots organizations like the Coalition for Grassroots Human Rights Defenders Kenya and the Pussy Power Movement stepped in, offering shelter and support to the displaced. Their efforts highlighted a painful truth: when the government fails, the people are left to save themselves. But community resilience is not enough. The floods of April 2024 were not an isolated incident, they are part of a growing pattern of climate-driven disasters disproportionately affecting those least responsible for the crisis. Without urgent action, investment in climate adaptation, infrastructure, and policies that prioritize the most vulnerable, this will happen again. And next time, the toll could be even greater. The story of Mathare is a warning. It is also a call to action. How many more lives must be upended before we listen?