Eastleigh residents demand action as garbage blocks access to road and school

Residents of Eastleigh Airbase Ward have expressed concerns over the heaps of garbage that have completely blocked Sabatiat Road. 

According to the residents, the garbage has not been collected for over six months and has continued to pile.

The garbage has not only blocked the road and an entrance to Top High Muslim Academy but the smell emanating from it can also be felt from over 200 metres away. This predicament has forced the residents to demand immediate intervention. 

Amran Ali, who lives on this section of the road, said the smell from the garbage has been giving her and her neighbours a hard time. She fears that diseases may soon break out in their plot if the garbage is not collected in time. 

"The garbage smells so bad. We fear we may contract diseases very soon if it is not moved," lamented Amran.

Hussein Mohamed, who runs a small cafeteria adjacent to the pile of garbage, said he may have to close soon since his customers are uncomfortable.

"The garbage's smell is chasing away my customers. It's sad, really. I might close soon if it does not get removed," Hussein complained. 

Abdalla Jilow, a taxi driver, also lamented that he could no longer use the road rendered impassable by the garbage. He added that a motorist who attempted to drive through the garbage lost his tyre after it was deflated by an unknown object a few days ago.

"It was three days ago when we witnessed the tyre being deflated here. This garbage is dangerous," alleged Abdalla.

Nyumba Kumi chairman's perspective 

Nyumba Kumi chairman of the area, Abdulnasir Wanguthi, claimed that street families dumped the garbage at Sabatiat Road at night, after picking up waste materials from other areas. He accused the county government led by Governor Johnson Sakaja, of neglecting their job and not collecting the garbage for over six months.

"The garbage is dumped here at night by street families when everyone is sleeping. The county government should have collected it, though," claimed Abdulnasir.

Eastleigh has been struggling with a garbage menace as huge waste piles lie on major roads within the estate, impeding movement and the well-being of residents. 

On Saturday, the top leadership of the Eastleigh Business District Association, along with the County Government of Nairobi, conducted a cleaning exercise in the trade centre. 

The cleaning exercise which began at the roundabout on Pumwani and extended to Yusuf Haji Avenue culminated in a meeting held on Thursday between EBDA and Nairobi City County officials to address the persistent garbage menace in Eastleigh. 

Both parties agreed to commit themselves to tackling the problem that has long plagued the area.

Omar Hussein, the Secretary General of EBDA, emphasised the importance of maintaining a clean environment for businesses and residents and announced that the cleaning exercise will become a regular event, scheduled for the last Saturday of each month. 

“We cannot have businesses and homes without minding our own cleanliness. We have to deal with the garbage menace," pledged Omar.

He further urged residents to dispose of their waste in designated areas and avoid giving it to street children, who often dump it on roads and pavements at night.