Just over a decade ago, Kericho town could have easily grabbed top honours as one of the cleanest and orderly urban centres in the country.
Today, it is in a bad state. Driving around the town is a nightmare. Motorists have to navigate around huge potholes. The worst potholes are in the section of the road leading to the Guru Nanak Temple from Huduma Centre.
Garbage is left to pile up and remain uncollected for days at collection points near Mwangaza Hotel and other strategic places.Rainwater often floods the streets due to clogged drainage systems. The town stinks as sewage lines burst and spew the contents onto the streets.
National Environment Management Authority (Nema) Director of Environment, Samuel Ondeng’, last year petitioned public health officials to declare buildings constructed on sewer lines unsafe for human habitation.At least 10 residential apartments are constructed on sewer lines in the town.
Ondeng’ castigated the county government, which he said was directly responsible for the mess.He petitioned the county assembly to pass laws to expedite demolition of the apartments.
Kericho Chamber of Commerce chairman Simeon Koech admitted that the town’s status was in a pathetic state. “You cannot compare Kericho now with towns such as Kisumu or Nakuru.
Kericho has lagged behind not because of anything else but management issues,” he said.Samuel Rugut, a former Kericho mayor, said the town ought to be a shining example, especially in terms of waste management.
He said the African Development Bank, through the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, gave out a tender for the rehabilitation of sewage treatment plant and construction of sanitation facilities for Kericho town but the project is yet to be completed.