Rains causing water-logging in several streets of Thika town.

Clogged drainage just outside Thika's Post Offices, just a few metres from the main sub-county offices.

Though the rains have brought cheers to majority of the people, they have also exposed the poor drainage system in Thika Town once again.

The rains have left most of the drainage channels overflowing, with the rainwater getting mixed up with raw sewerage in some places, leaving many streets and residential area waterlogged. Sheets of water are stagnated on the roads including busy stretches within the CBD.

This can be largely attributed to the absence of regular cleaning, a problem that has been with us for decades. Most of these drains have accumulated silt heavily as residents dump huge amount of solid waste into them. A large amount of plastic, food leftovers and waste from shops and eateries end up in the drains.

Commuters’ problems are compounded by the further deterioration of roads by the rains. Several vehicles end up getting stuck on the waterlogged roads, causing major traffic jams along some of the busy roads especially during pick hours.

Traders having to make do with living with stagnant water outside Mang'u House within the CBD.

It is assumed that the whole drainage system is strained since it was designed when Thika had a very small population compared to today with a lot of water being generated from the roads and from the many buildings coming up in the town and its environs.

The residential area and suburbs are the worst hit by these rains. In some estates, especially the eastern part of the town, a number of roads and pathways have been rendered impassable. Parts of Makongeni, Kisii and Kiganjo Estates and other low lying areas of the town have seen water entering many houses with some sections rendered inaccessible. The situation is worse in the town’s slum areas where the slightest of downpour can flood their houses due to lack of infrastructure facilities.

The flooding has exposed years of systemic neglect, shameful land grabbing, unplanned buildings and a pathetic drainage system. Some residents have to literally swim to their houses. The residents are now paying the price for building on water ways, poor town planning, unmaintained drainage systems and encroachment of riparian land and storm flood waterways.

However, the residents are optimistic that the new leadership in both the county and national governments will solve the menace of water-logging.

“We have new leadership now and we hope they will address the drainage problem and infrastructure unlike previously where we have had to live with poor services,” said one resident.