Ben Oundo, the Kakamega Market Chairman points at one of the sewerage leakage inside their market. The condition is said to have been that way for a longer time without being addressed. They now want the CEC concerned to address their environmental challenges as it has become health hazard to both traders and customers. PHOTO: CHRISPEN SECHERE.

KAKAMEGA: Residents and the business community of Kakamega town are worried about an open sewer that is flowing into their premises and homes.

The community is concerned about a possible outbreak of waterborne diseases as the sewage overflows through the uncollected heaps of garbage.

Kakamega County Market Traders Association Chairman Bernard Oundo said the sewage had made it difficult for the traders to do business.

"The overflowing sewage has made this market inhabitable yet we sell food and drinks. Hundreds of traders are selling in very poor hygiene environment," he said.

Mr Oundo said efforts to reach the county's trade department over the spillage had hit a dead end, with the concerned officers giving unfulfilled promises. "We have met the market manager over the issue and nothing has been done. We have visited the office of Public Health and even the department of environment but nobody is concerned, yet this has been going on for the last three months," he said.

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He added: "We are losing customers and the county government will start losing revenue as people are now fleeing from the market because of the strain of doing business."

A resident, Vance Udoto, said the county government had failed to curb sewage spillage and accused it of over concentrating on cleaning the town's main streets at the expense of residential estates.

"Kakamega town's sewerage waste management is disastrous. The sewerage system is disjointed in the entire town and worsens whenever it rains. We have complained to the sewerage company, office of Public Health and department of Environment for last three months with no positive response," said Mr Udoto.

A tenant, Lucy Adogi, expressed fears that children risk contracting diseases as they play.

Kakamega Busia Water Supply Company Managing Director Shadrack Juma said the sewer manholes in town were filled when the county government constructed roads. "Residents filed an injunction in court that stopped the construction of a new sewer pond in Maraba. The two we have are already filled. Sewer lines are also so narrow that they can't accommodate all the waste," he said.