The cutting edge

By THE WATCHMAN
Posted Tuesday, March 22 2011 at 18:39

WE NEED WATER. Residents of Hendred Court and their neighbours on Mbaazi Avenue in Valley Arcade, Nairobi, have not had water in their taps for the past three weeks, says Esther Muraguri. Phone calls to Nairobi Water Company regional manager Peter Njenga have yielded nothing. “We need water as we have children and elderly people in our homes who can’t go elsewhere looking for water. Can the water firm tell us when this problem will be rectified?” asks Esther, whose contact is enjambi@gmail.com.

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CLAIM UNTRUE. Wanja Ngunjiri’s complaint about lack of public amenities in the banking hall at the Kenya Revenue Authority headquarters in Times Tower, Nairobi, is inaccurate, says Maureen Njongo, the deputy commissioner, Corporate & Public Affairs Division. She adds: “Contrary to her claim, there are washrooms for customers on the ground floor. And they are clean and have running water throughout. There is also a customer care office on the ground floor of the Tower Wing, which handles enquiries like hers.”

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YES, IT IS SEWAGE. Following Peter Muthaura’s complaint about the sewage menace at Zimmerman estate, Nairobi, Town Clerk Philip Kisia says the City Council’s public health officers visited the area and confirmed that there have been some blocked drains, from which the muck has been overflowing. After confirmation that the owners of some buildings have been illegally discharging the sewage instead of channelling it into the proper drains, they were all given notices to immediately stop it or face legal action.

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FORGET GOING NUCLEAR. Kenya should forget about nuclear energy, Antony Alex Irungu advises, citing the Japanese earthquake disaster. “We’re the worst in disaster preparedness. The Nairobi fire brigade can’t put out simple fires and we often rely on foreign expertise whenever a building collapses. Unless we want to exterminate Kenyans, we should stay clear of that deadly energy source. Japan is the third largest economy in the world and it can’t quite contain the disaster. What about our poor country?”

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RELAX THESE HOURS. There is some merit in the proposal that the Mututho rules should be relaxed so that bars open at 10am on Saturdays, says James Agwada. “While I support responsible drinking, people shouldn’t be prevented from socialising on Saturdays and Sundays. Opening bars early will give people enough time to socialise over a drink and nyama choma so they can go back home early, attend church on Sunday and report to work on time on Monday. This will also help prevent binge-drinking on Friday night.”

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IRRITATING PILFERAGE. Some unscrupulous petrol station attendants in Nairobi are causing Ruth Munyaka heartaches with frequent thefts of her petrol tank caps whenever she goes to fuel her car. Says she: “The rate at which I’ve been losing the caps for my Vitz car is alarming!” It has happened three times at as many petrol stations in the Embakasi area. “The last time, a replacement cost me Sh1,000. I’m sure I’m not alone in this predicament,” says Ruth, whose contact is rmunyaka@yahoo.ca.

Have a trustworthy day, won’t you!

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