Tudor residents protest over poor sanitation
Muoroto Tudor residents outside the Mombasa County Assembly on November 19, 2019, when they presented their grievances about the deplorable sanitary conditions of informal settlements in the county. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- They read out an open letter to the county clerk demanding explanations for the state of the informal settlements.
- They complained of the lack of enough toilets in their areas and the garbage menace.
- And said they had been taking reports to their MCA without getting any feedback.
The deplorable water and sanitation situation in Mombasa County on Tuesday forced Muoroto Tudor residents to march all the way to the county assembly offices carrying sewage and human waste wrapped in gift hampers as a reminder to their elected leaders.
The residents complained of neglect by their leaders, and pushed for a motion to be tabled at the assembly to address the same.
They read out an open letter to the county clerk demanding explanations for the state of the informal settlements.
NEGLECTED
Sewerage and garbage in a section of Muoroto Tudor. The residents marched to the Mombasa County Assembly on November 19, 2019, in protest over the deplorable sanitary conditions of informal settlements in the county. PHOTO | COURTESY
“We are tired of being neglected. We are humans too and we need such services,” Sarah Ndunge a resident said.
Ms Ndunge added that they have been taking reports to their Tudor Member of County Assembly, Tobias Samba without getting any feedback, thus prompting them to walk all the way to the house.
“We have been taking complains to chief and even the office of the Governor and nothing has been done. We can’t risk our health living in that manner anymore, “said Ms Ndunge.
POOR SANITATION
They complained of the lack of enough toilets in their areas and the garbage menace they say has become a major challenge.
The protesting residents were accompanied by Lavender Namngero who works with Amnesty International which advocates for the rights of slum dwellers.
“Tudor Muoroto community is among other slums in the tourist city affected by the lack of essential services. We are demanding for our rights and for the leaders to acknowledge what we go through hence the gift hampers,” said Ms Namngero.
Muoroto Tudor residents handing over a gift hamper bearing waste from their area to Mombasa County Clerk Salim Juma, outside the Mombasa County Assembly on November 19, 2019, when they presented their grievances about the deplorable sanitary conditions of informal settlements in the county. PHOTO | COURTESY
She added that slum voices are always left behind when it comes to public participation.
DEMANDS
In their open letter they demanded for the water and sanitation situation in Tudor area be addressed, new laws that will guide service provision at the slums be created and they be included in community development projects.
“We live close by to our MCA Mr. Samba and he sees what we are going through. The other day we walked with him in different areas of this ward but he has delivered nothing. These days his phone is off,” said a vendor, Ms Mary Wairimu.
She added that they regularly pay Sh10 and Sh20 levy for their shops but get no services.
Mombasa County Clerk, Salim Juma promised the residents to go through the letter presented and to hand it over to the committee in charge.
“The motion will be presented to the county assembly on Monday and you will get the feedback,” said Mr Juma.
