Residents of Bogeka Ward in Kitutu Chache South Constituency have accused one investor of contaminating the environment as she dumps garbage near their children’s schools.
Led by area Community Policing Chairman Robert Muko, they accused the investor of colluding with her colleagues, who reportedly own an avocado processing factory in Kisii town, to transport and dump garbage near Imperial and Prof Nyasani Primary Schools (academies).
According to Robert Muko, trouble started when the investor excavated her land to extract stones for construction and left the place hollow.
She then tried to refill the hole with factory waste, but the exposed waste rotted and became toxic as it fused with the surrounding environment.
The Chairman said that, following complaints from parents to the alleged land owner to cover the garbage to avoid a disease outbreak, it fell on deaf ears.
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He said that the two affected schools were closed for three days as a precaution for the children who were in jeopardy from the foul smell of the garbage. They reopened after the uproar from parents, who thought the pupils might lose a lot from the sudden closure of the affected schools.
“The environment is contaminated by this foul smell emanating from the heap of garbage. We call upon public health officers to intervene before the situation worsens, ” Joyce Bonareri said.
The parents appealed to the area National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to visit the two affected schools and assess the impending damage to the environment and pupils unless quick interventions are taken.
Several phone calls went unanswered when Education News tried to contact Kisii County Education offices for comment.
A general survey around the two schools revealed rotten, wet garbage from the quarried land oozing into a pool, which poses a risk of drowning the playful children from schools near it.
By Enock Okong’o
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