Why Rongai can’t shake off its ‘Dumping Site’ allegations

By Khayoyo Ian
On a typical morning in Ongata Rongai, the aroma of fresh mandazis from roadside stalls mingles freely
with the less pleasant stench of open dumps, clogged drains and uncollected garbage, a stark reminder
that this booming town’s waste troubles are far from over.
Residents and the county government have continued to display a carefree attitude toward waste
management, which has far-reaching consequences on health, quality of life and the overall outlook of
the town.
As you drive along Magadi Road from the Maasai Lodge stage upwards into the heart of Rongai, you will
be hit occasionally by the rancid smell of sewage, accompanied by sightings of small heaps of garbage
scattered along the busy road.
The pollution gets worse as you near Kware Market, one of the county’s biggest marketplaces. Here,
your sense of smell will be accosted by the smell of rotting vegetables, stagnant water in storm drains
and the ever-present garbage. Funny enough, some of the garbage has been there for so long that grass
has taken root, feeding the herds of goats that roam the roadside freely.
It goes without saying that perhaps the revenue collected from these market vendors by the county
government is better left in their pockets. Why? The town has been unable to provide proper waste
management.
The situation worsens in Kandisi. Residents in this area often have to jump over puddles of raw sewage
due to reckless landlords and lax government oversight. In some areas, the sewage streams have been
flowing for so long, residents have set up makeshift bridges.
It is impossible to talk about Rongai without mentioning the numerous exhauster trucks. Residents have
reported and complained of the constant air pollution as exhauster trucks dump waste at night.
As you navigate the streets, you have to be on constant lookout lest you step onto donkey droppings or,
God forbid, stray dog excretion. You can hardly walk twenty steps along Magadi Road in Rongai and not
bump into a gang of stray dogs ransacking the uncollected garbage piles on the roadside or dogs in the
trenches with their heads deep in the rotting, stagnant water.
The health risks within Rongai’s environs are many yet the county government’s garbage collection and
clean-up remains substandard. The blame doesn’t fall on the county government alone, the National
Environment Management Authority (NEMA) should act immediately and hold landlords and businesses
accountable for polluting.
Ongata Rongai’s future remains grim if the residents and county government do not rise to the occasion
and say enough is enough. Every citizen has a responsibility to safeguard the environment and practice
proper waste management lest Rongai turn into another Dandora dumpsite.