Rongai: Where nightfall brings no rest as raw sewage takes over streets

Ongata Rongai town in Kajiado North has a tale of two worlds. By day, it wears the cloak of tranquillity; its streets bustling with life and its residents going about their daily routines.

However, in the dead of the night is when the darker side of the town emerges, a toxic smell of raw sewage fills the quiet air, serving as a constant and unpleasant reminder of the town's ongoing night-time problem. 

At night, most residents are at home after spending time in school or work – which means entire families are forced to contend with the putrid smell that fills the air.

The nose-pricking smell – according to some of the residents who spoke to Wananchi Reporting – is so strong it takes away sleep.

For Rongai residents like Mrs. Amina Yusuf, who resides along Fatima-Kandisi road, nightfall brings not rest, but a relentless assault on their senses, as the putrid odour permeates their homes disrupting their lives.

"It's like living in a nightmare, the smell is suffocating, seeping into every corner of our home. My children struggle to sleep, and I fear for their health."

Her sentiments are echoed by Mr. Andrew Kamau, a tenant on Masai Lodge road, who speaks with frustration.

"We are at the mercy of irresponsible landlords, and businesses. The authorities are turning a blind eye to our suffering. They don't care at all," he says.

The consequences of this environmental crisis extend far beyond the disgusting smell that pervades the town. 

The raw sewage, illegally disposed of by landlords, businesses like night clubs and guest houses, flows unchecked into the nearby Mbagathi River, posing a grave threat to the environment and wildlife. 

These health risks to residents are compounded by the lack of action from Kajiado County health and environmental officials.

School-going children, unaware of the dangers, often play near the sewage, mistaking it for water. This ignorance underscores the urgent need for intervention to protect the most vulnerable members of the community.

Residents interviewed said despite the clear and present danger posed by the ongoing sewage crisis, Kajiado County health and environmental officials have thus far failed to take decisive action.

Their indifference has left residents feeling abandoned and helpless in the face of an escalating disaster.

Each night in Ongata Rongai, the stench of sewage grows stronger, disrupting lives. Magadi road is now a river of raw sewage.

Community leaders are mobilising efforts to demand accountability from officials and press for urgent action to address the root causes of the sewage problem. 

Residents are left to endure sleepless nights and mounting health concerns.

The stench penetrates their homes, clinging to their clothes and invading their senses.