Mutua officers recommend reopening of Endmor Steel Mills in Syokimau

Machakos county officers tasked with inspecting Endmor Steel Mills operations after the firm was accused of polluting the environment have submitted their findings to Governor Alfred Mutua.

The officers on Wednesday recommended that the factory be reopened after complying with most of the set safety measures.

Governor Alfred Mutua had issued a statement on July 13, directing that the factory be closed for putting the lives of locals at risk, especially with the coronavirus pandemic.

Mutua had said that the factory will resume operation after ensuring that it will provide adequate standard KN 95 masks to all workers before production resumes.

Mutua said Endmor Steel Mills further has to ensure strict adherence to Covid-19 public health rules of social distancing, use of face masks, hand washing and daily recording of temperatures.

The factory was closed following complaints which led to an exposé by Citizen TV, showing the health hazard caused by the factory.

In the exposé, one resident said the pollution from Endmor Steel Mills made his child die.

The county officers said the factory has carried out air quality analysis and that signage has been placed at strategic positions within the facility to create awareness to workers.

It was also established that the factory had put in place several measures to prevent spread of the virus within the facility including 14 sanitary points.

The team also recommended that a routine inspection should be carried out regularly to ensure that compliance is adhered to.

While receiving the report, Mutua said that there will be a community engagement of the residents to ensure that they are no longer affected by pollution of the factory.

He added that his administration will take action against factories within the county which engage in polluting the environment.

"Failure to do this and by other factories to adhere to environmental and public health standards will not be tolerated and I will not shy from enforcing the law so as to protect the lives of our people," Mutua said.

The team of five officers who inspected the factory were Machakos water CEC Morris Aluanga, Transport CEC Naomi Mutie, SPS Jacqueline Malavu, George Musyoki and Johnstone Mutava.