Residents and business community within Murang’a town have challenged newly inaugurated Municipality Board to improve sanitation and security within the town.
During a public participation held at Murang’a town on Saturday, the residents decried deteriorating sanitation standards saying it put their lives at risk of contradicting diseases.
Increased population in Murang’a town and its environs, the participants claimed, has exerted pressure to available sanitation facilities thus the urgent need to expand the facilities.
Traders at Mukuyu open market within the outskirts of the town complained that the facility has not been supplied with water for several months, something which puts locals at risk of contracting cholera among other water borne diseases.
Phyllis Waithera, a trader at the market told members of the Board headed by Ben Githinji that they have been forced to access toilet services from neighbouring residential houses after water connected to the market toilets was disconnected.
“The market is one of main source of revenue to Murang’a County government but it is unfortunate the place lacks clean water,” lamented Waithera.
She also challenged the Board to install security lights within the markets saying theft of their merchandise has increased in the recent past.
The residents further decried delay in collection of garbage, accusing the devolved administration of not providing enough facilities and manpower towards effective collection and disposal of garbage.
“We cast our hopes to you Municipality Board in employing enough personnel to handle cleaning, garbage collection and manning of sewerage line so that we live in clean environment,” one of the residents Peter Mwangi told the members of the Board.
Mwangi said the Board need also increase trucks so to ensure the exercise of collection of garbage is done on daily basis.
The seven-member Murang’a Municipal Board was inaugurated in February this year and has started collecting views from residents before embarking into delivering services.
The Board in efforts to improve services within Murang’a town and neighbouring urban centres will get funding from the National government through the Kenya Urban Centres Support Programme and also from the county government.
The municipality board is also entrusted to mobilize resources from donors among other shareholders towards achieving its objectives.
Fielding questions from the participants, members of the Board promised to move swiftly and provide needed services in the town.
The chairman of the Board said they will work in consultation with the residents so to give priority to areas they have identified.
He further observed that municipality has already received Sh. 60 million from the Kenya Urban Centres Support Programme to kick start its functions.
One of the members of the Board Doctor Bernard Muia said sanitation will be given priority to ensure residents are saved from contracting diseases.
“Cleanliness is very crucial as it will help in curbing outbreak of diseases and also enable our traders to operate in better environment,” added Muia.
He said the Board will put in place measures to ensure high standards of sanitation are attained within the town and its environment.
By Bernard Munyao
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Information For Development
