MOMBASA. A coastal city located in Kenya along the Western Indian Ocean Front. It is home to communities from all around Kenya and the coastal natives as well. Mombasa boasts of its sandy beaches, large number of beach hotels and a rich culture and heritage that goes back centuries. For tourists ( both domestic and international) it is a perfect destination to relax and unwind during vacations or on the holidays. It is also a popular honeymoon destination.
However behind all the glitz and glamor that is Mombasa, the city has another side that is unknown to none other than the residents until recently. A side that is now resulting in fatal consequences and costing the relevant stake holders a lot of money in trying to contain it. That particular side is garbage. The garbage nightmare in Mombasa, however new it might appear to some people is something that has accumulated over the years and it has now reached its tipping point.
Being a resident of Mombasa since the late 90's I have seen first hand how the garbage menace has grown from a small problem that could easily be overlooked to the gigantic problem that it is today. I remember seeing a paper bag here, a plastic bottle there and a sweet wrapper elsewhere. During that time no one probably thought it was a big deal so no one  said a word or even took to the streets protesting about it.
As the years progressed, select sites started cropping up where people would just dump garbage without any second thoughts. Mind you, these were not designated dumping sites. This still did not raise any alarms.
Nearly twenty years down the line, this has become one of the biggest problems that Mombasa is facing. The amount of garbage that has accumulated over the years is now causing a myriad of problems with some of those problems resulting in loss of lives.
The garbage sites especially the undesignated ones have provided breeding grounds for microbes (bacteria and fungus) and mosquitoes. These bacteria include Vibrio cholerae which is responsible for causing cholera. As many know there is a cholera outbreak in Mombasa. When it rains, the same garbage sites provide breeding sites for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes transmit a number of diseases to humans including Malaria, Dengue fever and Chikungunya. Malaria and dengue fever have the highest death rates among these mosquito transmitted diseases. The symptoms that come with these diseases are not a ride in the park either. Trust me, having suffered from malaria and dengue fever, I know first hand how it feels like.
Chikungunya is the most recent mosquito transmitted disease to terrorize this beautiful coastal city. The disease is caused by the chikungunya virus ans is usually accompanied by fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling and a rash. although the disease doesn't last long ( one week) and has a low death rate (1 in 1000), it has been known to render its victims 'partially lame' for a few days.
These problems have caused the relevant stakeholders a lot of money try to either contain or eliminate them. In my honest opinion, these are problems that could have been avoided had proper measures for garbage disposal been put in place from the beginning. As the saying goes prevention is better then cure.
However it is not too late, the situation can still be salvaged. Residents should be educated on the importance of proper garbage disposal. The education should also include letting them know the consequences of improper disposal of  garbage. Being recipients of these consequences I believe it will not take much convincing. Systems can also be put in place to ensure that there are proper channels to dispose garbage all the way from the grass root level. The knowledge should also be passed down to the younger generations so that the culture of cleanliness is maintained.
With these systems in place the spread and outbreak of the said diseases will be reduced if not eliminated. This in turn will save on the money that is used to deal with emergency containment and treatment in case of an outbreak of a disease.
When all is said and done, we should remember that Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

KISAUNI; JEWEL OR DUMP?

About twelve years ago, Kisauni was a thriving town. It was the place to live, invest and even relax. It attracted a lot of investors who opened up businesses ranging from selling of groceries to mini supermarkets. The environment was clean, you could actually open up your window and get a whiff of fresh air in the morning. Houses were constructed in an orderly manner leaving space for even vehicles to pass through and children to play without hindrance. It was a safe place, you could stay out late for business or pleasure and not be worried about getting home. The neighbors were friendly and everyone knew everyone living in their area. One would be proud to say they live in Kisauni.

A few years down  the line here was a high demand of  living space in the area which on one hand created a business opportunity  (for landlords) and on the other led to up hazard construction of houses anywhere where space could be found. This left no roads for vehicles to pass and little if any room for children to play.

This wasn't the end, garbage started being dumped anywhere(even outside somebody's window) as long as it was disposed. Poorly constructed septic tanks leak their contents on the streets where children play resulting in a degrading environment. The whiff of fresh air that one used to get when opening their window disappeared, all that remains is stale air filled with the smell of garbage and sewage.

To add insult to injury, a rise in insecurity followed with small children ganging up to terrorize residents. It has become unsafe to even walk during daylight because their is no such thing as time when it comes to these gangs. Drug traffickers and peddlers have now found a new and ever rising market for their products in the area, children are even safe from them with some picking up the habit at a tender age. Residents are now fleeing the area daily, shifting in large numbers. what was once a thriving town is now dwindling mainly because of insecurity.

It is almost impossible to tell someone you live in Kisauni without spending shivers down their spine or them asking you to shift. The main question her is what happened to Kisauni? Is it the sheer carelessness of the residents? Is it lack of regulation by the county government? Or should we perhaps blame law enforcement?