Eastleigh residents and traders have urged the county and the national government to improve roads in the area.
The commercial hub has suffered years of neglect and its infrastructure is in a pathetic state.
Traders complained their customers have kept off because of impassable roads. Residents decried the pathetic status of the infrastructure, which has made movement difficult.
Traders said their businesses have been affected because customers are staying away because of filth and high transport costs.
Motorists also decried heavy losses and damage to their vehicles. Traders are losing customers because of the potholed, muddy and impassible roads.
“Bringing commodities here costs three times more because no lorries can deliver goods to us. We have to get handcarts to carry our goods from the point where lorries cannot pass. That is an extra cost,” businessman Husein Adow said.
Traders said the Kenya Urban Roads Authority started an infrastructural facelift three years ago, but has only expanded the First Avenue and built Muratina Road, which is incomplete.
Major Muriithi road is almost impassable. Some roads have been turned into workshops because they are impassible.
“If you are going to town from Eastleigh or even if you are going to visit a friend, you have to carry water and a piece of cloth to wash your shoes or feet after getting off a matatu or bus,” a resident said.
“Sometimes we pay a handcart owner to carry us through stagnant water,” he added.
KURA communication officer John Chemboi said the agency is still working on the roads.
But residents are unhappy with the slow progress. Four years down the line, only two roads are complete.