Nairobi CBD: Residents suffer as potholes fill with muddied rainwater

Residents passing through the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) had a fairly rough Tuesday morning following a heavy downpour last night.

This is because the rains have made some areas of the CBD impassable for pedestrians and motorists.

Pictures seen by Wananchi Reporting show some areas of the CBD that have turned into little muddy gardens, with hundreds of thousands of residents forced to wade through rain-soaked mud and dirty water.

“I have to carry a shoe brush or a piece of cloth to wipe off my shoes once I near the office because of the mud I carry around,” said Philemon Kamau, a resident of Nairobi who has to shuttle through the CBD to get to work in Upper Hill.

“The mud is a common thing in the lower parts of the town centre; right from Tom Mboya street moving downwards towards OTC and Muthurua market area,” said Kamau.

Some of the residents who spoke to Wananchi Reporting said that the lower parts of town, referring to the side facing Eastlands, has been discriminated against, and neglected.

“The infrastructure from Moi Avenue moving towards Kenyatta Avenue and Uhuru Highway is already well done. There are no potholes or mud on these roads,” said Kamau.

A female shoe shiner operating along Ronald Ngala street in Nairobi, told Wananchi Reporting that business is better on that side of town – as it is prone to mud, and garbage.

Many people carry the mud from the estates, while others pick it up on the muddied walkways in certain sections of the town after disembarking from the matatus.

“Many people do not want to walk into the CBD in muddied shoes, so they have to come to us to clean their shoes,” she said, noting that business had increased threefold since the rains started.

According to the residents, there are moments when vehicles moving across town splash mud on pedestrians.

“Sometimes you are walking then someone just steps on the water, splashing mud on your clean shoes or clothes,” said Nelly.

Residents are asking the county government to fill up all the potholes in this part of the capital, and improve the condition of small roads and walkways prone to mud.