How Dirty Nairobi River is turning men and boys impotent

Image result for impotent men

The polluted waters of Nairobi rivers may be turning city men, boys, and pigs impotent, suggests several studies from the University of Nairobi.

According to reports, the studies show that many mature male pigs (boars) feeding from the rivers in Dandora, Mathare, and Kibera have developed abnormal testicles.

They also show that in many piglets testicles are not descending into the scrotum, a problem researchers blame on their sewer-drinking mothers.

Image result for pigs testicles called

The studies further prove that the rivers carry chemicals known to cause infertility in men and males in other animals.

The same chemicals have also been linked to the development of ovarian and breast cancers in women and prostate in men.

Putting this evidence together, the researchers suggest that men and boys may be facing a similar fate with the boars and male piglets in Nairobi.

Image result for nairobi sukuma wiki

The studies led by Prof Henry Mutembei and Dr Ambrose Kipyegon Ng’eno of University of Nairobi, suggests that food produced using water from polluted rivers, including kales, could also be hurting fertility in men.

“We are proposing a major study to establish the effects of these chemicals on human food, including vegetables, milk, meat, and eggs,” Mutembei told The Standard.

They will look into the link between the chemicals and the possible development of breast and ovarian cancers in women and prostate cancer in males.

Image result for nairobi river

The four main rivers – Ngong, Nairobi, Kirichwa and Mbagathi – have been turned into channels due to the huge amount of waste thrown into them.

The waste has deprived the water in the rivers of oxygen.

A century ago, Nairobi was a tented camp for the Kenya-Uganda railway workers.

It had cool weather, clean drinking water from four main rivers – Ngong, Nairobi, Mathare and Mbagathi – creating a bubbling ecosystem in which plant and animal life thrived.

Related image

Nairobi was once known as a “place of cool waters”, derived from the Maasai word enairobe, which literally means “a stream of cold water”.

This was probably because of the existence of a water source, Nairobi River and its tributaries, which cut through the city.

The city was a place to be, a pride to behold. Combined with the tag “City in the Sun”, the capital of Kenya stood out. But not any more.

Related image

With Nairobi continuing to experience exponential population growth, heralded by rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, Nairobi River has become dirty. It reels under the weight of trash, which now threatens its existence.

Related image

Human waste from several public toilets and garbage disposal centres along the river have choked the river to a point where it can barely flow.

At the River Ngong Bridge, there are huge piles of human waste, discarded polythene bags and all sorts of household garbage.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *