Sometime in 2018, Nairobi residents around the city centre were shocked to find police officers deployed to man the lavatories.
This was after some youth illegally ejected some traders who were running 17 toilets around the CBD.
Around the same time, then Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko had proposed that public toilets should be free of charge instead of the current pay which is Sh10. Since then, Nairobians have been witnessing toilet wars among traders eying the lucrative business of running the public toilets.
And now some traders who have been applying the tenders in vain are optimistic that Governor Johnson Sakaja's government will not entertain politicians and cartels who have been bribing their way at City Hall to win toilet tenders.
"We wrote a letter dated December 6, 2021 on the subject matter, public toilets expired contracts," said Peter Njoroge, the group's chairman.
"Nothing has been done. Neither have the persons managing the toilets been removed nor new tenders advertised," added the letter.
At the same time, the groups said the contracts of those running the toilets, but did not respond to their earlier request on the same issue.
The group dubbed "We the People" argues that NMS did not explain how those who are currently managing the toilets are still there more than two years since their contracts expired.
"We have followed due process but it seems that there is a hidden agenda and vested selfish interest by those in authority on this issue," added Njoroge in the letter
He added: "This leaves us without alternatives and we could move to court to sue against, among other issues, abuse of office."