Gov’t to extend evictions to 13 other areas in Nairobi for water, sanitation projects

Brace yourself for further demolitions if at all you occupy any of the 13 areas mapped by the government in Nairobi as part of land reserved for water and sanitation purposes.

The Ministry of Water insists that if the city is to become habitable for its growing population, reclamation of said parcels of land has to happen.

Just slightly over a month since the Kariobangi demolitions that left at least 5,000 families homeless, creating an uproar among Kenyans who titled the government act as quite atrocious, construction works are ongoing at the 15 acres reclaimed piece of land.

A stone wall fence is ready at what will be the Kariobangi Waste Sewerage Treatment plant.

However, another 60 acres of land is yet to be reclaimed in the area, a project that the ministry insists will help offload the burden from the Dandora-Ruai Water Sewerage Treatment plant, before Phase Two of the estimated Ksh.21 billion Ruai plant begins later.

“I look at Nairobi as highly challenged, sanitation is at 60% and it needs to move to 80 to 100 %. It will be a journey for us to move and for us to achieve that good sanitation coverage we have to talk about these two projects; the Dandora-Ruai and the Kariobangi Sewerage treatment plant. All these will be able to cater for 800,000 Nairobians,” says Ministry of Water PS Joseph Irungu.

PS Irungu cites that Nairobi’s sanitation problem is a bitter truth, evidently seen during the rainy seasons, when major highways flood floating the city’s filth with pleasure.

And armed with title deeds, the PS says the government will do what is right in its wisdom.

“I know it is a very emotive issue but we have to run away from emotions and look at the reality. We cant live in a city of sewerage. Even in your own homestead when you reserve some space to construct your toilet, if you go sit on it, where will you take your sewage you will  not take it to your neighbour. So even us here, we can’t take our sewage to Machakos or other counties we have to manage it here within Nairobi,” added the PS.

The eyes of the ministry are also fixed on the pieces of land where reservoirs are to be constructed to hold water from the Northern Water Collector Tunnel.

These water and sanitation projects have seen the following areas mapped out: Karura, Loresho and Gigiri reservoirs, Kahawa West, Kabete and Karen Treatment Ponds as well as the Dandora, Kariobangi and Eastleigh Sewerage plants.

Kikuyu springs, Outering tower and Farasi Lane Pumping Station are also in the list.

“We want to pump more than 140,000 cubic metres of water from Northern Water Collector Tunnel to Nairobi,” said PS Irungu.

Despite the radical changes yet to be experienced by Kenyans who are to be affected by these demolitions, the ministry is keen on completing the projects.