Residents want Nakuru town's many manholes covered

Uncovered manholes and poor drainage system in Nakuru town pose great danger to motorists and pedestrians.

A wide-open manhole beside the road at Industrial Area in Nakuru. The many uncovered manholes in the area pose a serious risk to motorists and pedestrians. About 500 manhole covers get stolen by scrap metal dealers in Nakuru in a year. (PHOTO: KIPSANG JOSEPH/ STANDARD)

Residents say chances of people falling into the many uncovered manholes, especially within the Central Business District (CBD) and surrounding areas, are high.

“The situation has gotten so bad that when the drivers reach Club Road, many of them have to be careful not to find themselves inside the uncovered holes,” said Benson Mureithi, a taxi operator.

There were several other voices supporting his sentiments including that of Fredrick Onyango, a motor cycle operator along Kenyatta Avenue.

Plastic covers

Mr Onyango said he has witnessed many pedestrians fall into the manholes, and accused the county government of ‘sleeping on the job’.

Environment Executive Richard Rop said plastic manhole covers have been introduced to beat the rising cases of theft of the metallic covers in parts of the town.

“We are also using cement and wire mesh on a trial scale. The problem is serious but we are doing all we can to end the challenge,” he said.

He said the plastic covers were cheaper and not in demand in the black market compared to cast iron ones.

Mr Rop at the same time called for the cleaning and opening up of the drainage system as the new covers are not fastened on the ground.

“We have had to weld the metal ones to ward off the thieves. But it has been trouble gliding again to open them before cleaning,” he said.

The county loses 600 manhole covers every year worth Sh21 million to thieves. Gully covers have also not been spared with stolen covers sold to scrap metal dealers.

Prices of new manhole covers and gully pot covers, he added, range between Sh30, 000 and Sh35,000 each.

“Theft of manhole covers is a huge challenge to the county as the thieves target those made of metal,” he said.