The cutting edge

By THE WATCHMAN Posted Tuesday, February 15 2011 at 19:45

Fuel tank puzzle. Could someone be tampering with petrol station pumps? asks David Ondijo. When he bought his car last year, he recalls, 63 litres of petrol would fill up the tank. But recently, he bought fuel at a station on Waiyaki Way, Nairobi, and it took 67 litres. In Kisumu, it filled up with 70 litres. “Could my tank have expanded or are some petrol station owners fiddling with pumps to rip off unsuspecting motorists? Can the authorities confirm that there is nothing fishy going on here?” David pleads. His contact is dondijoo@yahoo.com.

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Forgotten road. There is a road Dipak Shah charges has been totally neglected by the City Council of Nairobi. It’s Ngecha Road, which begins at Redhill road, crosses Peponi Road and ends at Lower Kabete Road. Dipak wishes Town Clerk Philip Kisia would pay some attention to this road, which he and others use to avoid the morning traffic congestion. Unless the fast-expanding potholes are filled soon, he warns, it could deteriorate into a murram track during the forthcoming rains, and cost a lot more to restore.

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Water shortage. Nairobi Water Company has been giving a raw deal to Kileleshwa residents, especially those living on Makueni Road and its environs, who have in the past two weeks hardly been supplied with water, moans Juliet Mwai. As they continue to suffer acute shortages, she adds, there has been no word from the city water firm. “Can we be told if there is rationing or has our supply been affected by the construction of the mushrooming apartments around us?” She can be reached on Tel 0722802127 or at jwmwai@gmail.com.

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Soaring charges. While it’s all very good for Safaricom to negotiate roaming charges for its subscribers visiting Uganda, Ochieng Ochiel says making calls whenever he visits his home in Busia is a nightmare. On arrival, he receives messages advising him that “roaming charges will apply” and yet he has not crossed the border. “Can Safaricom ensure that I am not subjected to this unless I go into Uganda? Something must be done urgently to save us from these unjustified high roaming charges.” His contact is ochiengochiel@yahoo.com.

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Selective service. The launch of the KPLC service charter is one big joke, says Vincent Maritim. He applied for electricity and paid the required charges last October, but the KPLC has yet to fulfil its side of the bargain. “Is it about who knows who? My neighbour, who applied much later, has had his connected.” Vincent has called at their Kapsabet offices several times and all they do is give excuses about “a contractor who is taking too long”. The reference is No. E27382010080174. Vincent’s contact is jls_tanui@yahoo.com.

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Destruction licence. Someone who doesn’t care about having natural beauty and a serene environment in the midst of all the concrete in Nairobi has been wreaking havoc lately, moans Ben Wamera. He cites the wanton felling of trees along the banks of the Kirichwa Ndogo River behind the Ole Odume serviced apartments and Elite Park. “Some of these trees have been around for 30 or so years. Has the City Council of Nairobi or Nema or both of them sanctioned the cutting down of these mature trees?” he asks.

Have a beautiful day, won’t you!

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