• Asbestos is a well-documented carcinogen.
• Many public institutions have asbestos roofing, and insulation. Concern over disposal.
Image: /FILE
The Nakuru government will paySh2 million to replace cancer-causing asbestos roofing from public estates and institutions by next year.
Asbestos, commonly used for roofing and insulation, is a known carcinogen.
The county has started replacing roofing materials in some estates in Naivasha and Nakuru town.
Environment officials are worried about how the county is being handled to ensure its fibres would not spread and be inhaled.
Asbestos has been proven to be dangerous, and we are working round the clock to replace it by next year in all our institutions and estates.Governor Lee Kinyanjui
NAKURU GOVERNORLIIKINYANJUI Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui said the county will lead by example in eliminating deadly roofing materials.
Speaking in Mai Mahiu, Naivasha, during a development tour at the weekend, the county chief said they were targeting all public institutions with asbestos roofing.
“Asbestos has been proven to be dangerous, and we are working round the clock to replace it by next year in all our institutions and estates,” he said.
In a nearby industrial park, the governor praised the move by the Cabinet to allocate Sh6.9 billion towards its development.
He said special economic zones would be a source of employment and wealth for residents and challenged the youth to take up vocational courses.
“We expect over 200,000 people around this special economic zone, and they shall require various services that residents will offer,” he said.
On water, the governor said the county had made plans to address the acute shortage undermining development.
“Apart from water, we have set aside Sh5 million to upgrade the area market and work should start any time as this town is very critical to the county's economy," he said.
He said a task force would identify public land that had been grabbed.
“We shall launch the committee next week, and we expect a report in 60 days before the county attorney and the land department move in to reclaim it,” he said.
Naivasha East MCA Stanley Karanja said that the county assembly fully backed the repossession of grabbed public land.
“This market construction the governor has had been grabbed but we managed to repossess it and all we require is a title deed,” he said.
(Edited by V. Graham)