Nairobians arrested for urinating in streets ordered to clean City mortuary

People who were arrested on Monday night for urinating in public areas in Nairobi were ordered to clean the City mortuary. [File, Standard]

People who were arrested on Monday night for urinating in public areas in Nairobi were ordered to clean the City mortuary.

During the operation by the Nairobi County Environment Department officials, about 30 people were nabbed while urinating in the streets and pavements in the city centre.

Environment Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria who led the operation said the suspects were booked at Central Police Station awaiting arraignment.

And when they appeared in court to face petty offences charges, the offenders were slapped with community service orders.

Mosiria said the offenders were directed to clean the city morgue, groom Uhuru Park and others to sweep some streets in the city centre.

"Anyone who will be found littering will be arrested and be charged and the magistrate will make a decision, this is a good lesson," he warned.

"Those who have been ordered to clean city mortuary are now ambassadors who will tell others never to answer call of nature in public," he added.

The Environment Chief Officer said that everyone must take care of the environment and it is not good for adults to urinate in public.

"It is not good for anyone to dump illegally; this will be a lesson to others who have been doing that yet there are existing laws which have not been suspended," he warned.

Nairobi Public Nuisance Act 2021 states that one risks being slapped with a Sh10,000 fine, a jail term of six months, or both for urinating or defecating in a public place.

Presently, there are 18 public toilets at the City Centre that are managed by private groups.

Notably, most of the toilets don't operate beyond 10pm thus leaving residents with no option but to answer the call of nature on poorly lit streets.