Outcry as garbage menace plagues Eastleigh's Motherland slum

Living in the heart of Motherland slum in Eastleigh South Ward, Nairobi, has been Alice Waithera's lifelong reality.

Her modest home, a tiny one-bedroomed house made of iron sheets, has endured for over three decades, witnessing the growth of her family across generations.

However, a pressing issue now casts a dark shadow over the community.

Hundreds of residents, including Alice and her children, face an escalating challenge: vast piles of garbage accumulating right at their doorstep.

These heaps not only mar the landscape but also pose a serious threat to the health and well-being of the inhabitants, particularly vulnerable children.

According to Alice, the source of this mounting problem lies within the community itself.

Young men from Motherland slums migrate daily to neighboring areas like Eastleigh North, collecting garbage for a fee, only to return and indiscriminately dump the refuse in their backyard.

While this activity provides some employment for the youth, it perpetuates a vicious cycle of environmental degradation and health hazards for the entire community.

Residents of Motherland slum in Eastleigh stare at garbage outside their houses. (Amin Abdullahi)

The consequences of this uncontrolled waste disposal are dire. Alice recalls numerous cholera outbreaks afflicting her and her children, straining her limited finances as she struggles to afford medicine for their treatment.

"Imagine buying medicine every day, I'm going broke," says Alice, underscoring the economic strain compounded by the health crisis.

Lucy Nungari, a community health worker in Motherland slum, echoes Alice's concerns. She describes how insects from the garbage invade their homes, causing painful bites and triggering allergic reactions.

As each day passes, the situation worsens, intensifying the urgency for intervention from the authorities.

Despite several efforts by the Nairobi City County government to clear the garbage over the past decade, the problem persists, exacerbated by inadequate resources and logistical challenges.

Lucy reveals that while the authorities have intervened in the past, the current neglect has left residents feeling abandoned and vulnerable.

"They have forgotten us this time around, we don't want to die," she laments.

Residents decry garbage menace in Eastleigh's Motherland slum. (Amin Abdullahi)

In an exclusive interview with The Eastleigh Voice, Bernard Musili, ward manager in the office of the Member of the County Assembly, acknowledges the underlying issues plaguing waste management in the Motherland slum.

Musili highlights the shortage of garbage trucks as a major problem, hindering the timely removal of accumulated garbage.

"We spoke with Governor Johnson Sakaja, and he sent two trucks, it's not enough to deal with this kind of garbage," he explains.

Despite appeals to Governor Sakaja for additional resources and lorries, the response has fallen short of addressing the community's pressing needs.

The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated. Unless swift and decisive action is taken, the spectre of cholera and other infectious diseases looms large over the Motherland slum.

With the health and livelihoods of thousands at stake, residents implore the authorities to heed their cries for help and commence efforts to rid their community of the garbage menace once and for all.

The well-being and resilience of Motherland slum hang in the balance as they await a glimmer of hope amidst the mounting refuse.