Residents of Pipeline estate have been warned not to frustrate efforts to enforce the 10pm to 4am night curfew by throwing dirty water and human waste at the security teams on patrol. Mukuru Kwa Njenga acting chief Christine Mwende Marete while the government is keen to support the area’s 24-hour economy, the locals must respect the law.
“We all know that Pipeline is a 24-hour economy estate but you must respect the curfew laws. I am new here in Embakasi South but what I have heard from my officers doing patrols at night is not good.
“Some of the tenants have a habit of chasing police officers on duty by pouring on them dirty water and human waste. You want them to stay away so that you continue defying curfew hours and do businesses non-stop,” said Ms Marete during a function held by Pipeline Ward MCA Stephen Gikonyo to issue bursaries on Wednesday.
Marete, who is also the Kware assistant chief, noted that it is not the first time residents living in congested and poorly planned high-rise flats of Eastlands estates have poured dirty water, some with faeces to passerby including residents themselves.
“During the New Year Eve, when residents were walking home from churches to usher in the New Year, you risked facing the same wrath of faeces and dirty water landing on you from tenants. Who celebrate in such a way?” wondered Marete.
According to chief, a senior police officer from Embakasi Police Station went through the ordeal and has never returned to the estate while on duty.
“I will try my best to talk to my seniors to allow you like an extra 30 minutes to close your shops and businesses but you have to obey the government curfew hours that start from 10pm to 4am,” warned Marete.
Prostitution has also taken root in the estate, perpetuated by skimpily dressed young girls who parade themselves from as early as 8pm in dingy places or near entrances of iron-roofed houses. The hookers strategically stand at vantage points to prey on their clients and would whistle at passersby to attract their attention.
During the occassion, a total of Sh2.8 was dished out to parents of 576 secondary and primary school children, each receiving Sh5,000 cheque. Additionally, 62 driving school beneficiaries, including boda boda riders received Sh10,000 each, totaling to Sh620,000 to cover for their diving courses for two months at Rocky Driving School.
Gikonyo, who decried lack of public utilities in Embakasi South constituency due to grabbing of public land, said he has started plans to reclaim it.
“Through Nairobi Planning Department, now a transferred function under Metropolitan Services (NMS), the NMS Director General Major Mohammed Badi and President Uhuru Kenyatta have been given me go ahead to follow up and secure these public utility spaces.
“I have even tabled the documents on the same in the Nairobi County Assembly already,” said Mr Gikonyo.
“I have found that where a public secondary and primary school were to be build on the geospartial map at the Survey of Kenya. The two public utility plots now belong to private businessmen.
“I urge these landlords to surrender the plots to the county so we may develop public amenities like schools, hospitals and social halls or give us money so that we buy the plots elsewhere and built public utilities.”
The area has only one public primary and secondary school at Kwa Njenga and many private academies, which charge exorbitant fees.
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