PH
Scores of passengers travelling from Kisii to Nairobi were stranded for several hours after public health officials in Narok County pounced on their bus for allowing passengers to defecate in the bushes along the highway.
The bus christened Madonna was arrested at around 2.30pm at Katakala area near Ololulung’a, and commandeered to Narok Police Station where it was held for hours before it was finally allowed to proceed at around 6:00pm.
Speaking to the press, Narok County director of public health, Daniel Sironka said they were holding a campaign together with the County Environment committee against contamination of the environment and this involved both open urination and open defecation along the highway.
Sironka further said that they had been receiving complaints from the community that scores of buses traveling along the Narok-Bomet-Nairobi highway had been polluting the environment by allowing their passengers to urinate and defecate in the bushes along the highway and even in their farms.
He said this was a fertile ground for outbreak of Cholera and other waterborne diseases as the waste is carried by rain to their water sources.
“This should serve as a warning to all the other public vehicle transport owners and users; no vehicle passing through the Narok- Mai Mahiu-Bomet highway will be allowed to stop to have passengers alight to relieve themselves along the roads. The only stops allowed for the companies are Suswa, Ntulele and Narok town,” said Sironka.
Sironka however said they were working on a permanent solution to the problem as it was a big risk to the environment.
