Residents of Nakuru town have raised concern over unattended leaking sewages in the town, claiming they were posing health risks to them and their children.
This comes days after more than 15 people died and several others were hospitalised at the Rift Valley general hospital following a cholera outbreak in various estates of the town, mostly slum areas.
The residents, who spoke to journalists on Saturday in Nakuru town, wondered why the county government had not fixed the underground sewerage pipes which burst more than three days ago.
“We are worried of our children contracting diseases from the pathetic situations of most of the sewerage systems in the region,” said Duncan Ndegwa, a resident of the town.
He added: ”The county government should repair the pipes as a measure to contain the spread of cholera that killed people a few days ago with many others recuperating in hospital.”
They called on the county government to intervene in a bid to ensuring favourable sanitation to its residents to prevent illnesses that would be contracted due to the unhygienic conditions posed by the sewers.
A spot check by Hivisasa.com revealed that sewerage waste has been pouring out into streets exposing them to excrement, bad smells and a definite health risk.
A broken sewer along a road from Nakuru Central Business District to the county’s largest hospital had led to closure of businesses due to the stench emanating from the raw sewer.
Jane Wanjiru, a vendor along the road, expressed fears on the leakages, arguing they were time bombs in the waiting and that they had blocked their businesses.
"This town was hard-hit with cholera outbreak last week, a situation that saw many lives lost, we do not want to see a repeat of the outbreak hence need to take precaution," she said.
The county government has since, banned food hawking as a means to contain the spread of the disease as well as advising residents to observe hygienic standards when handling foodstuff.