Residents and business operators in Olympic Estate in Kibera have vowed to ensure that the dumping site at Olympic bus stop is relocated.
Led by the Chairperson of Olympic Maisonette Residents Juliet Ochieng, the residence marched to Sarang’ombe Chief’s Camp on Tuesday to protest against the pollution caused by the garbage site.
According to the residents, their efforts to have the matter solved by the relevant authorities has been futile.
The residents said the site poses a major threat to health especially due to the leaking water pipe that runs beneath the garbage. The leakage has allegedly led to lack of water for a period of one month.
“We are tired of following up this matter from one office to another without getting a proper solution. We have been facing water crisis for almost a month because the pipe that supplies water to the area, which runs through the dumping site, was ganaged by the tractors that occasionally collect garbage from the site,” said Ochieng.
Their demands to have a hearing was accepted by Sarang’ombe Chief Danvas Mogire who incorporated the parties involved in the tussle including Usafi Initiative group which is a group of youth in charge of garbage collection in the area.
Blame games took centre stage during the impromptu meeting with the garbage collectors pointing fingers at the Nairobi County Council for failing to take full responsibility of ferrying away the garbage after it is disposed at the site.
“The Nairobi County Council has failed to do its work. We collect garbage from the residential areas and dump it at the site and it is the mandate of the council to remove the garbage before it piles up and becomes hazardous to the environment. The Council officers are supposed to remove the garbage twice every week, a duty they are yet to adhere to,” said Ernest Abuchina, Usafi Initiative chairman.
The Initiative members had earlier denied allegations that there are cartels that run the dumping site which are opposed to its removal from the area.
Chief Mogire however offered a temporary solution to the problem by ordering the relocation of the site to a space nearby awaiting a long term solution subject to consultation with the relevant authorities.
Officials from the Nairobi Water Company have also promised to repair the damaged pipe to ensure that residents get clean water.