Residents and traders in Kitengela, Kajiado County, have raised concerns over uncollected garbage at the market and town.
They complained that the County Government has not been able to meet the demands of the growing population and human activities, especially with waste management.
Garbage is piled in drainages in between the streets and outside the temporary Kitengela Market.
“Kitengela is slowly becoming a dirty town. Every corner you turn your head to, you won’t miss a heap of garbage,” Evangeline Moses, a trader at the town said.
Charles Kyalo, a boda boda operator, lamented that the town was becoming an eye –sore.
“Is the County Government not seeing the piles of garbage around the town? We accept that the trucks come and collect the garbage that is found in the market once a week but Kitengela is fast-growing and garbage collection once a week is not enough,” said Kyalo.
“Hawkers and business people should know they have a responsibility to properly dispose of their waste and not dump it along the streets,” Miriam Ndeto, a resident in the area said.
A major part of the waste that remains uncollected accumulates in the form of heaps at various locations and soon begins to rot and becomes an environmental hazard.
The Noonkopir dumpsite which is about five acres is already full and is now an environmental hazard in itself, consequently a health hazard to the community.
During the rains, the heap that is normally found on the drainage, pollutes the Athi River which provides water downstream for millions of residents.
Private garbage collectors supplement the municipality’s effort to collect and finally dispose of solid waste in Kitengela which is then transported to Noonkopir dumpsite, which is now full.
Residents are urging the County Government to pull up its socks in waste management. They say they are even ready to support the county government in the cleaning activities, recommending that the government sets aside a day and organize the residents for the same. They say they are ready and willing, and have even attempted in vain, to take part.
“We have tried to get in touch with the county government in charge of the environment to provide for us their trucks and together with the youth we can collect the garbage in the ward but all efforts have proven fruitless,” says Coach Phil, a resident in the area.
