The 47km Ruiru-Githunguri- Uplands road has become a health hazard for residents of Kanjai village in Githunguri subcounty.
The Sh4 billion road was commissioned by Deputy President William Ruto early 2017 and was undertaken by the Kenya National Highways Authority and a Chinese engineering company.
On Wednesday, residents protested saying they have complained enough and the unbearable dust has made them contract chronic illnesses.
“We have suffered since the road was commissioned. It has slow progress and since it is a main road there are very many vehicles passing through hence the dust filling up the air,” a resident, Fredrick Ngere, said.
Jane Kairu, who lives near the road, said she has been affected and is always in hospital due to the dust which enters her house. She has to keep on cleaning as the dust enters even the bedroom and kitchen.
“Why can’t the contractor pour water three times a day and save us the agony? I have to dust all the time and wash my house inside and not outside.
"One cannot sit outside to enjoy fresh air and this has continued for years and we are fed up,” Kairu said.
Shadrack Karugiro, a boda boda operator, said that they have lost business since customers do not agree to be ferried through the road, due to the dust whenever a vehicle is either in front or passes past them.
"We have even complained to the authorities over the matter so that water can be poured regularly but this does not happen and our village has become a dust village with no one to come to our aid,” Karugiro said.
In the area where their core business is dairy farming, farmers have had to incur losses of pouring milk as it is contaminated before being collected at the Kanjai milk collection centre which is near the road.
Pupils and students of Kanjai primary and secondary schools, also situated near the road, have to cope with the dust.
The dining halls and kitchens are also engulfed with dust, in some instances food has been poured due to dust.
“There is some instance where the school was engulfed in dust and it filled the kitchen, hence the food meant for the students being filled with dust. We had to pour it,” a school worker who refused to be named said.
A spot check by the star witnessed pupils agony during their daily commute. The students are engulfed by the dust forcing many not to wear their masks.
Churches have also not been spared, congregants have a hard time to coping with the dust during church service and are forced to conduct services in closed doors.
Business in Kanjai shopping centre especially hotels have also been affected by the dust and are unable to conduct business.
The resident want the road to be completed as fast as possible or water be poured three times a day in the morning, noon and evenings.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
