Residents of Kisumu’s residential estates have raised the red flag over the mushrooming of illegal dump sites within the estates.
The residents have appealed to the County Government of Kisumu to put in place proper solid waste management structures that would see waste collected from the estates gathered centrally and deposited at a site that is managed by the county government.
Kisumu’s populous estates like Migosi, Manyatta, Mamboleo, Obunga and Nyawita do not have any organised waste collection systems, leaving the residents to collect and dump the waste at non designated points thus creating an eyesore.
Matters have been made worse by the existing public dump site at Kachok, near the Nakumatt Supermarket which has become a nuisance, threatening the area’s ecosystem.
The Kachok dumpsite has been at the center of political feuds pitting the Ranguma led county government and his fierce critics who have accused his administration of not doing enough to sort the eyesore.
Kisumu Residents Vice-Chairman Audi Ogada said that the Kachok site emits a very strong smell that has now become a health hazard.
“Besides, a criminal gang has taken over the dumpsite,” he said.
Last week, a driver of the county government’s waste collection truck was beaten to death by the gang after he allegedly defied their order on where to deposit the waste.
Soccer stakeholders have also threatened to stop any matches at the adjacent Moi Stadium due to the bad site and strong smell.