Environment

Eastleigh sewage hitch puts lives at risk

                 By Erick Diang'a

sewage bubbling above a manhole

Environmental conservation starts with an individual’s will in eradicating unhealthy practices like careless disposal of plastic bags and litters. The government of Kenya through the water ministry is majorly responsible for ensuring citizens a country free from mismanaged garbage, untreated water and burst sewer pipes.

Eastleigh estate residents fear that waterborne diseases might emerge due to poor sewage management. In the last one month, stinking sewage has been overflowing uncontrollably on the roads. The problem could be mistaken for the current rains hitting the city.

Despite the irritating flow and odor of the sewage, the government has done nothing to contain the issue- in fact, the Nairobi water and Sewerage Company collects its dues every end month. This issue questions the duty of water ministry to Kenyans who are ready to pay their bills to receive clean water.

In October 2012, residents complained of consuming water mixed with  the mess. Residents realized the mystery and acknowledged the rest. Several children were admitted in hospitals due to symptoms associated with waterborne illnesses.

Bursting of sewer pipes has been caused by vandalism. Unknown people illegally removed manhole lids exposing the mess to residential houses and roads. Since January, major manholes have been covered by kindhearted residents using rocks,an action that has only increased traffic snarl-up.

Eastleigh is one of the trade centers within Nairobi county that yield much revenue to the country.  Nevertheless, the center has not been given recognition by the government in terms of better roads and waste management.

The dilapidated road linking Pumwani Maternity Hospital and Mlango Kubwa estate has been the garbage dumping site. The presence of bubbling pool of sewage on this road hinders transportation of goods and people. In most cases, the condition forces public service vehicles from Nairobi town to deviate to Garissa lodge shopping center route.

Charity begins at home; let citizens take issues into their own hands by primarily practicing domestic hygiene. Before cleaning the streets, families should manage their own bins in their houses at the grassroots level. If all families can strive towards achieving this, Eastleigh will remain one of the cleanest estates one can talk of in Nairobi town. Above all, government should give a second eye to the estate before the condition transits into a disaster.                                              

A man pulling a Mkokoteni through a flooded sewage.
PHOTO/ERICK DIANG'A