Panic as Raw Sewerage Sink Into Flood Water in Kisii Estate.

A Section of Kisii Estate that is Flooded in rain storm mixed with raw sewer. (Inset) One of the leaking sewer.

Residents of Kisii Estate, Makongeni in Thika Sub-County are living in fear of disease outbreaks such as cholera and typhoid as a result of raw sewer sinking into flood water.

The heavy rains that are being witnessed in the area have flooded sewage that has since spread to people’s doorsteps.

Friday morning when our team visited the area, stagnant rain water mixed with raw sewage extended to the residential houses and roads. A stinking stench pervaded the area behind Makongeni Mosque and towards Stepping Stones Academy.

This unhygienic situation has triggered fears of disease outbreak and the residents are now calling on the county government to move with speed before it is too late.

“We are living in fear of falling sick due to this water. These puddles can be a source of diseases such as cholera and a breeding ground for malaria-causing mosquitoes. Our children like playing in these waters and risk getting infected,” said Jane Nyokabi who is a tenant in one of the affected houses.

The real culprit here is improper drainage and poorly planned and managed urban development. The estate lacks any drainage system to allow the free flow of water which subsequently causes flooding thereby endangering humans and their environment. The environment some of these people are living in is unconducive for habitation.

Residents who spoke to us expressed concern over the blocked drainage system and called on the Kiambu Government to act swiftly before an outbreak of disease.

“The main cause of these floods is the rapid erection of houses in this estate with no effective drainage systems. The county (Kiambu) has not properly planned for drainage before they allow developments to crop up which in turn blocks water drains. Even though we are getting more floods due to the heavy rains, our drainage system is not been up to par with development that is taking place. We should not say that the problem is only due to the weather,” said another tenant.

“We need better planning of our drainage systems, and there should be better drainage planned in the beginning of any projects to preempt any problems. There is also a need for more effective urban planning,” he added.

The situation in Kisii Estate is not in isolation. Other estates like Kiganjo and some parts of Makongeni all suffer the same fate. Our road network and the town’s CBD is always overwhelmed by heavy storms.

Flooding has been shown to cause epidemics of water and vector borne diseases. Flood affected regions serve as ideal breeding grounds for pathogens, leading to the spread of diseases. Skin problems like wound infections and dermatitis as well as eye infections such as conjunctivitis often occur as a result of direct contact with polluted water.

It is, therefore, imperative that the County Government of Kiambu promptly addresses this situation in order to prevent any humanitarian crisis that may be caused by these flood water and the raw sewer. It is essential that they are aware of the epidemiology of diseases that have historically seen a sudden upsurge after natural disasters.