Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko now wants police to move swiftly and investigate mysterious instances of dead bodies being retrieved from Nairobi River.
Sonko on Saturday said the issues should not be taken lightly as several youth are being murdered and duped in the river to conceal evidence.
Sonko was speaking after a body of a middle aged man was on Saturday discovered dumped in the river.
This makes it the fourth body to be retrieved from the river by the Ng’arisha Jiji team.
According to Sonko, the body was discovered floating in the water at Ngong River near Kware Ward in Embakasi South.
He said the bodies have been picked at different locations.
“These are some of the challenges my people have been encountering while conducting the cleaning exercise. I have called the police from the neighborhood and they are assisting my people to remove the body from the river,” Sonko said.
Embakasi South Sub-County Administrator, John Saruni said they believe the middle aged man could have died more than five days ago since the body had started decomposing.
“We came across the body at around 11am on Saturday morning and we managed to retrieve it before we alerted the police. We are now appealing to those living near river banks to take charge and help us fast truck the cleaning initiative,” Saruni said.
The body was picked by police and taken to city mortuary as investigations commence to establish the circumstances of the death.
The Ngarisha Jiji initiative was launched last year by Governor Sonko and Nairobi County First Lady Primrose Mbuvi as part of the Nairobi regeneration exercise.
Their work entails unblocking the sewer lines, clearing mounds of garbage and promoting responsible garbage disposal.
The clean-up is focused on restoring Nairobi River and its tributaries including Ngong, Mathare, Mbagathi, Kirichwa Kubwa and Kirichwa Ndogo among others.
Last month, Sonko ordered the Nairobi Inspectorate Department to arrest individuals and industrial firms polluting Nairobi rover and its tributaries.
The Governor also ordered county officials to close down industrial firms which discharge wastes into Nairobi River.
