Subukia residents in urgent need of cemetery, dumpsite

The Subukia cemetery which is almost full. Residents have also turned it into a dumping site and have called on the Nakuru County government to urgently look for alternative land for a new cemetery and a dumpsite. PHOTO | MAGDALENE WANJA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • All the waste from the area now ends up in the cemetery while some of the residents use it as grazing field.
  • Others use it for burying their dead dogs and donkeys.
  • Goats and cattle feed on the flowers planted on the graves.
  • Criminals hide in the Nakuru North Cemetery and attack people walking from Nakuru Level Five Hospital.

Residents of Subukia in Nakuru County have called on the government to speed-up the process of acquiring land for a dumpsite and a cemetery.

The residents have now turned the Subukia cemetery, which is almost full, into a dumpsite.

All the waste from the area now ends up in the cemetery while some of the residents use it as grazing field and a place for burying their dead dogs and donkeys.

Speaking when he visited the site, the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) Deputy Director of Field Operations Robert Orina said the Subukia cemetery was almost full and it was necessary for the county government to embark on looking for an alternative place.

“Due to lack of a proper dumpsite, residents are forced to compromise the respect for the dead by throwing the town's waste into the cemetery. Others use it as grazing grounds,” he said.

Goats and cattle feed on the flowers planted on the graves.

Mr Samuel Kamau, a resident, said that for more than five years the cemetery has been used as a dumpsite.

Besides turning the Subukia cemetery into a dumpsite, residents also use it as a grazing field for their animals which even feed on flowers planted on graves. PHOTO | MAGDALENE WANJA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

POPULATION GROWTH

He said that previously, they used to burn their waste but the population has since grown over the past 10 years thus occasioning an increase in amount of waste generated in Subukia.

He said that the cemetery, located near Kanu Street, is a health hazard and urged the county government to move with speed and purchase alternative land.

“We need another cemetery as soon as possible. Recently we came across coffins while we were digging graves which is an indication that the cemetery is almost full. There is need also for the government to find a site to set up a gazetted dumpsite,” said Mr Kamau.

Nakuru County has in the past five years been faced with the challenge of acquiring an alternative piece of land as most of the cemeteries were declared full.

Nakuru North Cemetery has since turned into a hideout for criminals who attack members of the public especially those walking from Nakuru Level Five Hospital.