The Machakos assembly on Monday suspended sitting for a fact-finding tour of dangerously polluted River Athi in Mavoko subcounty.
The 59 MCAs toured the area following reports and complaints from residents, government institutions, local leaders and other stakeholders.
Majority leader Mark Mwendo, who led the delegation, said they decided to see and smell or themselves the level of pollution, its causes and effects on residents. He said the aim is to find a permanent solution.
Residents and others joined them.
toured the river and confirmed the pollution, nothing has been done, they said, citing health hazards.
The residents also protested against the Machakos county directive barring them from using the polluted river water for farming along the river.
The farmers said some of their fellows had been arraigned in Mavoko law courts for irrigating their vegetables using the polluted water.
“We are the victims of the situation since we solely survive on farming along the river. We have, however, stopped farming for the time being due to the ban,” a resident told the MCAs.
They also said they have lost their livelihoods.
“We have families, children in school, and lives to live. Our income comes from the farms,” a resident of Kwa Mang’eli slum said.
The Athi River subcounty police commander said he was not aware of such arrests.
The MCAs accused Mavoko Water and Sewerage Company of discharging untreated sewage from one of its plants into the river.
The ward reps questioned ongoing construction of a sewer line on the riparian land.
They said the construction should stop so MCAs could determine who was building it, where it was coming from and where it would discharge the sewage.
“We need a statement to know where the sewerage line comes from, where it was authorised and who is implementing it,” King’angi said.
“Construction should stop for the time being so that we talk. Why is it passing through the riparian land?” he asked
A contractor at the site told them that the project was being implemented by Export Processing Authority.
He said that due process had been followed and the project approved by all authorities, including Nema and national and county governments.
“There is no way a project of this magnitude could be implemented without due process,” the contractor said.
He said the project started three years ago but had stalled for a while.
He asked the MCAs to raise the issue with the EPZ since it is the parastatal that contracted them.
The MCAs also inspected Mavwasco’s sewerage pump.
They later visited Apex Steel plant and Harvest Flower Farm, both accused of discharging raw sewage into River Athi.
They will continue the tour next Monday and write a comprehensive report.
(Edited by V. Graham)
