City landlord in frantic bid to bury sewage diverted to Lang’ata cemetery – PHOTOS
A private developer in Lang’ata who dug a trench that diverted raw sewage from his property to the Lang’ata cemetry was on Thursday racing against time to fill it up, with city health officials hot on his pursuit.
The owner of Royal Park Estate had hired casual workers to dig the trench to discharge the sewage from his property after the sewer system had malfunctioned.
The workers had dug up bones, clothes and buried coffins while digging the trench.
On Thursday, city officials accompanied by journalists found the workers busy covering up the 300 meter-trench after Nairobi News had exposed the matter.
OVERWHELMING STENCH
The stench of the raw sewage was overwhelming when the health officials arrived at the scene.
The workers grew suspicious at the sight of the officials and stopped work.
They said they were contracted in the morning to fill up the trench and never bothered to ask why.
“We were at our base when we were called for this job. We took our tools and here we are trying to fill it, but because of the people coming and asking us questions, we are worried that we might land in trouble,” one of the casuals told Nairobi News.
The workers refused to disclose the identity of the person who contracted them.
DIVERT FLOOD WATERS
A caretaker of the area, Eric Oketch, told Nairobi News that the trench was initially said to be meant for diverting flood waters.
“I left on Wednesday last week for a funeral. When I came back I found a big trench dug. It was to divert water from the rains, I did not know it was the sewage,”said Mr Oketch.
Asked about the stench, Mr Oketch said it was bearable because the sewage is poured far from the property.
Mugumoini MCA Alex Otieno said over 100 bodies buried at the cemetery might have been affected.
