Nema county director says slaughterhouse discharges raw sewage on streets
The National Environment Management Authority has warned the Machakos government against unlawful discharge of raw sewage in Athi River town, Mavoko subcounty.
Speaking to the Star on the phone on Thursday, Nema Machakos director Kennedy Odhiambo said they had asked the county to stop further environmental pollution at the county’s slaughterhouse in Slaughter Slum, Athi River town. “Our officers visited the county abattoir on Wednesday on a fact-finding mission. Their reports state the situation is very bad since the workers at the slaughterhouse have been discharging raw sewage on the streets for more than two years, posing health risks to residents,” he said.
Odhiambo said he instructed the county government to suspend operations at the slaughterhouse until a sewerage system is built.
He said Nema gave the county 24 hours to submit a commitment letter, indicating all the problems will be fixed urgently.
He said Nema will close the slaughterhouse if the 24-hour notice elapses without a response from the county.
“The situation is pathetic, there is shortage of water for cleaning the slaughterhouse, its blood tank has collapsed, hence, all the waste is poured onto the streets and there is no pre-treatment of the waste from due to a nonfunctional sewer system,” he said.
