Health fears as Siaya town chokes under garbage

Siaya town is groaning under the weight of uncollected garbage. And the residents fear for their health saying the county government has not been consistent in emptying garbage bins.

“There is a lot of garbage scattered all over, which has also offered breeding ground for mosquitoes. At this rate, we might have an outbreak of diarrhea and malaria,” said Sophia Atieno, a vegetable vendor.

Fred Ochieng, a businessman in the town, said the ambitious multi-million shilling programme mooted by the county government to make the town a garbage-free zone will not succeed if the public does not  embrace it in earnest.

Strong Stench

“The programme was hatched to rekindle the glory of the once ‘town in the sun’ that has currently turned into the ‘town in the garbage’,” Mr Ochieng said.

“Today there is strong stench from piled up garbage in almost every corner of the town. It is unfortunate that the people tasked with garbage collection are not working,” Mr Ochieng added.

The county had allocated Sh15 million for manufacturing and installing garbage bins to help contain solid waste.

The county government had intended to establish a garbage bin in at least every market centre and in the town centers to collect waste.

Eunice Atieno a fishmonger said the bins are not emptied every morning as they should. Environment Chief Officer Arthur Omollo said they were educating locals on the garbage bins and waste disposal.