A choking stench, littered streets, and dogs scavenging dumped garbage in Kabarnet town, the Baringo County headquarters, have been the norm recently.
Garbage bins, which are supposed to be collected every day by workers employed to clean the town, have not been emptied for the past two weeks and are overflowing with litter and garbage.
The Kabarnet bus station is in a sorry state and travelers, traders, and locals are forced to endure the harsh smell from a dump site that has piled up for more than a week.
The garbage bin at the station has overflowed and spilled onto part of the tarmac road, posing a danger to motorists.
Locals and traders are concerned over the accumulated garbage now posing health risks and painting the town negatively.
Alex Kerieny, a resident, wonders why the county government has left the whole town and its outskirts littered for weeks without any explanation to residents.
“I was boarding a matatu at the main stage today and I am worried about the stench coming from the piling garbage. You cannot stay in the area for more than five minutes because of the smell. This is a county headquarters and we are wondering why we have this sorry state. We need an urgent explanation from Governor Cheboi,” said Mr Kerieny.
Piled garbage at the Kabarnet main stage on October 5,2024 that has not been collected by the devolved unit for close to two weeks. Locals and traders in the area have raised concerns that the stench caused by the waste is posing a health risk and would lead to outbreak of diseases.
Photo credit: Florah Koech | Nation Media Group
He spoke as the municipality management admitted the garbage management crisis, blaming it on staff shortage and budgetary constraints.
Locals say they have complained to relevant authorities, only to be told that the truck that collects the garbage to a dumpsite on the outskirts of the town has no fuel.
“We are perturbed to be told that the truck that usually collects the garbage from the bins within this town and its environs has been grounded due to lack of fuel. So this means the devolved unit has decided to leave the town to be this dirty and littered due to lack of fuel and at the expense of our lives? This shows that some people are sleeping on their jobs,” Mr Kerieny said.
Rael Cherutich, a fruit vendor, who operates at the main stage, says due to the smell, traders have been forced to wear face masks throughout the day.
“I sell fruits just close to the garbage bin that has been left to overflow for weeks. We cannot operate our businesses normally because customers cannot stand the pungent smell and the sight of the garbage. I have been forced to wear a face mask until I close business for the sake of my health,” she said.
Traders say the water crisis in the town the past week has worsened the situation.
Piled garbage at the Kabarnet main stage on October 5,2024 that has not been collected by the devolved unit for close to two weeks. Locals and traders in the area have raised concerns that the stench caused by the waste is posing a health risk and would lead to outbreak of diseases.
Photo credit: Florah Koech | Nation Media Group
“We fear an outbreak of diseases if the situation will not be contained soon,” said Ms Cherutich.
“The garbage has been left here for some time now and is always blown into our business premises by the wind. We have been forced to sweep our premises every time and collect the litter to keep our clients. If it is not collected by Monday next week, I will be forced to close the shop because it is piling on my doorstep,” added another trader.
Reached for comment, Kabarnet Municipality Manager, Julius Bolei, acknowledged that they have been grappling with the collection of the garbage, and told Nation.Africa that they don’t have a dump site for disposal.
“We do not have a dumpsite at the moment because the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has condemned the place where we have been dumping our garbage for years. We have held meetings over the same, even with the Governor and we are trying to look for an alternative place,” said Mr Bolei.
He said the garbage is supposed to be collected daily, but has been piling because of the challenges.
It has also emerged that the entire municipality only has five people cleaning the entire town and its outskirts, and they are demoralized because they have not been paid for the last five months.
“We are understaffed and the five staff clean Kabarnet town, Kaptimbor, Kasoiyo, and other areas. They are demoralised because they have not been paid for more than five months and their work is also overwhelming,” said the Municipality manager, who noted the town needs more than 15 staff to be properly cleaned.
He also confirmed that the garbage truck is fuel-starved and has been surviving on debt.
“The one truck we have also keeps breaking down, and the situation has been worsened by lack of fuel. Since the closure of the last fiscal year, we have not received any fuel and we have been fueling on credit at petrol stations which have now refused owing to the accumulated debts,” he noted.
“To succeed and do this properly, we need enough staff and one more truck. Because we may not get more employees any time soon, we sat as a board and came up with a plan to outsource garage collection services and this has been approved. We are now waiting for budgetary allocation,” said Mr Bolei.
According to Faith Chepchumba, who operates a shop adjacent to the main stage, traders pay Sh1,000 annually for the collection of garbage and wonders where the money goes because the town is always messy.
“All traders in this town and its environs are required to pay Sh1,000 which goes towards garbage collection. Where is our money going when we are forced to put up with such a smell caused by the uncollected refuse? We have made losses for the last two weeks because customers are avoiding shops close to the dumping site at the main stage,” said Ms Chepchumba.
Vincent Kiror, a local leader, accused the county government officials of sleeping on their jobs.
“I may be tempted to believe that some county government officials are unaware that this town is the county’s capital. What picture are they portraying to investors and visitors when they find it in such a state? The litter will soon be blown by winds into the governor’s office,” he quipped.
“All the garbage bins in Kabarnet town and its environs are full and it’s now spreading to business premises and people’s houses. We fear an outbreak of cholera. The Governor should wake up from his slumber because this is not how a county’s capital should look like. We fear running our errands in the town because of the mess,” he added.
Also as part of efforts to remedy the situation, Mr Bolei, the Municipality manager says they have sought the help of organisations and volunteers to clean the untidy town.
“Last week we had volunteers from the Kenya Red Cross who are ready to support us to clean the town twice a week. Next week we shall also have university students from this region willing to help us,” he said, challenging members of the public, especially traders, to join the effort to keep the town clean.
“They all have a role in keeping this town clean because it is our collective responsibility, not blame game,” he added
