Eastleigh's Airbase residents raise concerns over sewage leak on public field

Residents of Airbase in Eastleigh have expressed growing concern over a sewage leakage at the heart of Centre Ground, the only public field in the ward. The leakage has disrupted activities at the field, which is a key hub for sports and recreational events in the community.

For the past few months, a broken sewage system running beneath the field has been leaking, causing sewage water to pool at the centre of the ground. This has had a significant impact on the use of the field, particularly for sporting events. Most games are now confined to one side of the field, as the other part is affected by the leakage.

According to residents, the sewage system was not designed to handle the current load and has become overwhelmed. The infrastructure, which was meant to serve fewer users, now supports more people than it was intended for. This has resulted in the sewage line bursting and leaking onto the field.

John Mwaura, head coach of the Eastleigh Youth Soccer Club, highlighted the impact this has had on their activities. He noted that the team can no longer train whenever they wish due to the restricted space caused by the sewage.

In the past, when one-half of the field was occupied by other teams, his team could still train on the other half. However, the current situation has forced them to wait for others to finish before they can begin their sessions.

The sewage at the heart of the ground has greatly impacted all sporting activities within Centre Ground in Eastleigh's Airbase Ward.(Photo: Abdirahman Khalif)

"The sewage has made us reduce the space of the ground, forcing us to use a smaller part," Mwaura explained. His team, which consists of children under the age of 10, is now facing additional challenges due to the leakage.

Mwaura also pointed out that the sewage comes from Eastleigh and was originally designed to flow to Dandora. However, the system's capacity has been exceeded, leading to the current problem.

Juan Mutua, a resident of Airbase, expressed concerns over the health risks posed by the sewage leakage. She noted that the presence of raw sewage in the middle of the field is especially dangerous for young children, who frequently play there. She described how children often retrieve balls that fall into the sewage and continue playing without cleaning them, which she fears could lead to the spread of diseases.

Players are pictured using Centre Ground in Eastleigh's Airbase Ward right next to the sewage leak. (Photo: Abdirahman Khalif)

"There is a real risk of diseases like cholera breaking out if something is not done to stop the leakage," Juan warned.

County intervention

She urged the county government to intervene and address the issue before it escalates further.

Mark Mwendwa, who coordinates many of the games played on the field, said that local football leagues have also been affected. The poor condition of the field has discouraged many players from participating.

"We have moved the goalposts and squeezed the field, which makes it unsuitable for larger games," Mwendwa said. He added that the field has the potential to be upgraded into a larger, more suitable venue, similar to Camp Toyoyo if the necessary improvements are made.

Despite the challenges, Centre Ground hosted the first games of the ongoing Kamukunji Peace Cup over the weekend.

In the opening game on Saturday morning, Wenyeji Youth defeated Team Gravo 2-0. Other results included Kiambiu Warriors narrowly beating Melawa by 1-0, and Pumwani crushing Biafra Kamaliza 5-0.