Gabions constructed by MPC to curb soil erosion along the Ngong River in Nairobi County. Photo/Sammy Kimatu
By SAMMY KIMATU
STAREHE, NAIROBI — Three thousand learners in institutions run by the Mukuru Promotion Centre (MPC) could be exposed to flooding as concerns mount over human activities along the Ngong River ahead of forecast El Niño rains.
The religious organisation has raised the alarm over encroachment on riverbanks, illegal dumping and the accumulation of soil and other materials which it says have altered the river’s course, pushing its waters closer to schools and learning facilities.
At Songa Mbele Na Masomo Centre, a learning institution for children with disabilities, the Ngong River has reportedly been pushed towards the perimeter wall, raising fears that heavy rainfall could cause further damage and endanger learners.
The situation is compounded by heaps of uncollected garbage along the riverbank opposite the centre, where waste continues to accumulate close to the watercourse.
At St Bakhita Primary School and St Michael’s Secondary School, near the Likoni Road bridge and Express Kenya, MPC says it has been forced to spend substantial amounts of money constructing gabions to protect the institutions after alleged encroachment on the riverbanks pushed the river towards the schools.
Written demand letters
In a statement, MPC said it had repeatedly written demand letters to both the county and national governments seeking urgent intervention to prevent possible loss of life.
“We have written demand letters to both county and national government to intervene early to save lives of learners in our institutions since Governor Mike Sonko was in office. Up to today, our demands fall on deaf ears. Some government officials are burying their heads in the sand,” the statement read in part.
Near the Likoni bridge, youths reportedly continue to use a site for cycling activities, while bales of cartons and heaps of soil have been deposited close to the bridge, heightening fears among neighbouring school communities.
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An MPC official said the potential danger extended beyond the two schools to other facilities within the organisation’s compound.
“Besides these two schools, we have our main offices and Mukuru Skills and Training Centre inside the compound. We are talking of precisely more than three thousand learners who are at risk if it rains,” the official told journalists.
An illegal dumpsite next to the bridge has added to the concerns, with tonnes of garbage visible at the site. Nearly 10 women were seen recycling polythene bags as men sorted plastic waste, while large marabou storks scavenged for food among the rubbish.
Schools count cost of encroachment
The environmental concerns extend further downstream along the Ngong River to St Elizabeth Primary School in Mukuru-Kingstone slum, Embakasi South Sub-County.
The public school, run by the government with MPC as a co-sponsor, has reportedly suffered repeated damage whenever heavy rains cause the river to overflow.
A teacher said previous flooding had destroyed part of the school’s perimeter wall, inundated the playground and damaged the food store and classrooms.
“The perimeter wall was crushed by raging waters, the playground was flooded while the food store and classrooms were messed up by water. There was no learning for one week due to water,” the teacher said.
Read more:Garbage heap raises flood fears at Mukuru Learning Centre
Sources allege that individuals who have encroached on the riverbank in Mukuru-Reuben slum, Embakasi South Sub-County, have deposited soil, erected structures and altered the watercourse, directing the river towards St Elizabeth Primary School.
The reported changes have raised fresh concerns about the safety of pupils, school infrastructure and other facilities located close to the river.
With heavy rainfall expected, MPC is calling for urgent action to clear the riverbanks, address illegal dumping, investigate alleged encroachment and restore the river’s natural flow where necessary.
The organisation maintains that early intervention by the relevant authorities could help prevent further destruction of property, disruption of learning and possible loss of life.
Efforts to obtain a response from the relevant government authorities were unsuccessful by the time of going to press. Calls and text messages seeking comment went unanswered.
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