The government has announced plans to carry out more demolitions in the capital city Nairobi following the controversial Kariobangi demolitions.
The demolitions are in line with the Water ministry’s plan to expand the city’s sewerage system.
“The sanitation coverage is at 60% and we need to move it to 80% and to almost 100% if we can manage,” said Ministry of Water Principal Secretary Joseph Irungu.
“It is a very emotive issue but we have to run away from emotions and look at the reality. We can’t live in a city of sewerage. Even in your own homestead when you reserve some space to construct your toilet, if you go sit on it, where will you take your sewage you will not take it to your neighbour. So even us here, we can’t take our sewage to Machakos or other counties we have to manage it here within Nairobi,” he added.
Mr Irungu clarified that future demolitions will be to clear public land that is meant to have water reservoirs to hold water from the Northern Water Collector Tunnel. He noted that the construction of the Kariobangi and Dandora-Ruai sewage treatment plants were vital for the country’s capital city.
“These plants will cater to around 800,000 Nairobi residents. We intend to bring in 140,000 cubic metres of water from the Northern Corridor,” he said.
The 12 more areas set for demolitions were listed as the areas around:-
- Karura reservoir
- Loresho reservoir
- Gigiri reservoir
- Kahawa West Water treatment ponds
- Kabete treatment works and tanks
- Karen ponds/Karen break pressure tanks
- Dandora sewerage works
- Kariobangi sewerage works
- Eastleigh sewerage works
- Kikuyu springs water source
- Outering tower
- Farasi lane pumping station
