Starting again, from Sat/Sun night when we had at least 2 to 3 outages in Nyali, Sunday started with another outage early in the morning when power was restored around 7.15 am. When I had rung the Engineer in-charge, Mr. Mbaluka, at no point had he given even an inkling of what else was to come in about an hour's time. Not everybody buys daily newspapers these days and therefore it would be much better if KPLC (re-branded but not changed it's work ethic in the least, to Kenya Power), would send SMSes to it's customers like they do for other things.
When at about 8.30 am, the power went off, yet again, I called the above mentioned gentleman and was told (and he had a gleeful sound to his voice), that, 'sorry, they were having a so-called 'scheduled and advertized' outage for the whole day'. I asked him why it had gone earlier than the usual 9.00 am and got the reply that, 'In fact we're late. It should have gone off at 7.00 am!'. So, my next question and observation was, if that meant that power would be restored earlier than the usual 5.00 pm. To which he replied, 'Let me see, if I can restore it earlier....'
After this, I and the rest of my neighbours thought that he would keep his word.
But, comes 5.00 pm and then 6.00 pm, there was still no sign of normalcy. This necessitated another call to Eng. Mbaluka. Many rings later, he finally answered and told me to give them another hour. One of my elderly neighbours, called me to find out if I knew when and why we were still in darkness and I passed on to him what I'd been told by Eng. Mbaluka.
Well, 7.00 pm came and went in total darkness, but, still nothing. Some of us were by then running out of battery life on our phones, too and trying to preserve whatever was left in case of emergencies. Around 8.45 pm I got a call from another neighbour wondering what was up and observing that everything in the fridge was getting defrosted and spoiled and who would be responsible for that expensive damage. I suggested to him and this applies to everybody who receive my emails - we should collectively hold Kenya Power (KPLC), responsible for spoilage, damage to health and equipment, henceforth. Since they have claimed that by re-branding their company, they are also going to be more accountable to their subscribers, then, they should be ready to face the consequences of their shoddy 'service'.
Now, you must be wondering why people were calling me to find out about the power. The reason is that they receive these missives of mine and figure that I might have some kind of inside knowledge.
Finally, the last time I called Eng. Mbaluka just before 9.00 pm, he sounded harried and told me to give them yet another hour. This was nearly 3 hours from the last time he had told me this same thing!
Because I could not sleep very well, I found that we suddenly had illumination at 11.45 pm, but, it didn't last for very long and we were thrown into darkness, again. This happened at least 4 to 5 times in the remainder of the night with awful fluctuations and at about 4.45 am the lights came on again. This time, they have stayed that way, Alhamdulillah.
But, we still haven't had an apology or an explanation for the over 15 hours of total blackout and subsequently and under cover of night, the continuous outages and fluctuations. We demand both an explanation and compensation for the damage that has resulted due to this latest fiasco.
Most of the postings are to do with what an average Kenyan citizen has to deal with, in the country, to survive. They go through and are treated with a lot of injustice, where very few in 'officialdom', will take notice of their problems or even do anything about them. Hence, this blog and the belief in, 'One learned man is harder on the devil than a thousand ignorant worshipers' - Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
Monday, September 12, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Re: An invitation to experience garbage burning....
The above invitation has been ignored by the NEMA - both the local Mombasa branch and their head offices in Nairobi. Not only this, but, none of them have even acknowledged my email forget about replying it.
They seem to be under the impression that by doing this the problem will go away, i.e. 'die a natural death'. Well, it won't!
Unfortunately, for NEMA and most of our officialdom like the Mombasa Municipal Council who are in-charge of collecting garbage and disposing off it in an environmentally friendly manner, are ignoring these very issues and doing NOTHING about it. I suppose, they haven't heard about global warming, climate change, etc., as yet. If they haven't then I suggest that they get off their backsides and start educating themselves and start implementing their own laws and by-laws regarding the burning of garbage.
These miscreants who burn the garbage in my neighbourhood in an empty plot next to our estate are known by NEMA, but, they are taking no action against them. There is also another interesting part in this. Despite, there being a number of kiosks near this plot, not one person knows WHO set the garbage on fire. Being typical non-interfering Kenyans they are like the 3 monkeys - See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil and my addition to this would be 'Do Nothing'. Why, one wonders....?! Does the plot owner have 'connections' with someone who is in turn also 'connected'? And in this country such things always boil down to politics. So, who is really responsible for this non-action?
And the interesting part of all this is that, this thug who owns the plot, knows exactly when to do the burning. It is always done under cover of darkness, or like this morning, on a weekend, when s/he knows that not one person in 'officialdom' (NEMA), will want to take action at a time when they are off. Because, when I could not get any response to my repeated calls to Mr. Ben Wemali who is in-charge of this out here, I decided to call NEMA's Nairobi offices around mid-morning when our whole building and part of the estate were enveloped in such dense smoke that we could not see the buildings across the road or even the traffic on it! The answer I finally got after calling various numbers of their Nairobi office, is that none of the officials were on duty as it was a Saturday. And that I should call about this on Monday.
Now, for these people's information, unlike them, the crooks in our midst, know exactly when to break the law and get away with it. Choose a weekend or after hours on a weekday when all of these officials will be very averse to following up on a live lead.
Therefore, it is not surprising that we have such impudent people in our midst.
On 7/27/2011 2:18 PM, Raziya wrote:
They seem to be under the impression that by doing this the problem will go away, i.e. 'die a natural death'. Well, it won't!
Unfortunately, for NEMA and most of our officialdom like the Mombasa Municipal Council who are in-charge of collecting garbage and disposing off it in an environmentally friendly manner, are ignoring these very issues and doing NOTHING about it. I suppose, they haven't heard about global warming, climate change, etc., as yet. If they haven't then I suggest that they get off their backsides and start educating themselves and start implementing their own laws and by-laws regarding the burning of garbage.
These miscreants who burn the garbage in my neighbourhood in an empty plot next to our estate are known by NEMA, but, they are taking no action against them. There is also another interesting part in this. Despite, there being a number of kiosks near this plot, not one person knows WHO set the garbage on fire. Being typical non-interfering Kenyans they are like the 3 monkeys - See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil and my addition to this would be 'Do Nothing'. Why, one wonders....?! Does the plot owner have 'connections' with someone who is in turn also 'connected'? And in this country such things always boil down to politics. So, who is really responsible for this non-action?
And the interesting part of all this is that, this thug who owns the plot, knows exactly when to do the burning. It is always done under cover of darkness, or like this morning, on a weekend, when s/he knows that not one person in 'officialdom' (NEMA), will want to take action at a time when they are off. Because, when I could not get any response to my repeated calls to Mr. Ben Wemali who is in-charge of this out here, I decided to call NEMA's Nairobi offices around mid-morning when our whole building and part of the estate were enveloped in such dense smoke that we could not see the buildings across the road or even the traffic on it! The answer I finally got after calling various numbers of their Nairobi office, is that none of the officials were on duty as it was a Saturday. And that I should call about this on Monday.
Now, for these people's information, unlike them, the crooks in our midst, know exactly when to break the law and get away with it. Choose a weekend or after hours on a weekday when all of these officials will be very averse to following up on a live lead.
Therefore, it is not surprising that we have such impudent people in our midst.
On 7/27/2011 2:18 PM, Raziya wrote:
'Afternoon!
I would like to invite every NEMA representative who can make it even from Nairobi, the Municipal Council's Environment department and the Public Health one, too, to my place at a time when garbage is being burned in the neighbourhood. This, so that they will experience first hand the consequences of their inactivity in stopping this disgusting practice.
It would also help, if they, in the meantime, try and imagine what it is like for the residents of parts of our estate who have to on a daily basis, inhale this acrid smoke with minimum of ventilation in our houses and when some of us are suffering from colds and horrible bronchitis like coughs, too. Maybe, we should take the 3 mentioned above outfits to task, officially, for letting our complaints fall on deaf and uncaring ears.
Oh, but I forgot - that our Municipal Council has scant regard for the rule of law or respect for it and it seems that NEMA is also following in it's lawless footsteps.
Despite having talked to umpteen numbers of NEMA officials both in their Nairobi head office and locally, NOTHING is being done about the issue and the garbage burners in our midst are insolently doing this every single day anytime of the day or night! Of late, it's been happening during the lunch hour.
So, could you all please, accept my invitation to experience what it feels like to inhale garbage burning right outside your living quarters? And it will be a special 'treat' if some of you are suffering from a bout of cold, 'flu and coughs, too! Let's see how you like it. Not to mention the muck that will dirty the house/s just after you've cleaned up.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Today changes with Orange...... REALLY?
The above mentioned 'new face' of Orange Telkom is NOT new, i.e. they are as inefficient and unaccountable as ever and like KPLC which became Kenya Power - nothing has changed regarding either of these two companies. Ironically, both have connections to our bloated and equally unaccountable government.
I discovered on Thursday that despite having invested in an Orange 3G modem late last year, their new product, D-Link Wi-Fi, if one wants to invest in it, makes no concessions for people who already have a 3G modem. The package comes with one. So, my question to 'new' Orange is, 'What does one do with the one that one already has? What a waste of money in this day of trying economic times! After all, it is the same kind of modem that this product comes with, so why should one buy another.
The insensitive staff at the Orange shop in Nyali flippantly told me to give it away to somebody as though the 3000/- (less 1/-), I paid for it, grew on trees! And even these (the real trees), are being decimated by environment unfriendly Kenyans.
Will the 'new' Orange please, come up with a solution to the above mentioned dilemma of it's customers, please? Otherwise, they will give the impression to the public that they are out to make a fast and dishonest buck.
I discovered on Thursday that despite having invested in an Orange 3G modem late last year, their new product, D-Link Wi-Fi, if one wants to invest in it, makes no concessions for people who already have a 3G modem. The package comes with one. So, my question to 'new' Orange is, 'What does one do with the one that one already has? What a waste of money in this day of trying economic times! After all, it is the same kind of modem that this product comes with, so why should one buy another.
The insensitive staff at the Orange shop in Nyali flippantly told me to give it away to somebody as though the 3000/- (less 1/-), I paid for it, grew on trees! And even these (the real trees), are being decimated by environment unfriendly Kenyans.
Will the 'new' Orange please, come up with a solution to the above mentioned dilemma of it's customers, please? Otherwise, they will give the impression to the public that they are out to make a fast and dishonest buck.
Revisiting the ASK Showground racket and it's possible solutions...
The above it about to take place next week smack on our (Muslim's), day of Eid, i.e. Wednesday. Now, from what I have been told about the forwarded date is so that Muslims can attend. This is fine and as Muslims we appreciate this consideration, but, what we (the Nyali residents who live in the environs of this Showground), have an objection to is the vibrating racket that emanates from this ground ALL of the days that it is on including all through the night!
Last year, the management of the Showground had scant regarding for the neighbourhood not even for NEMA's officials who repeatedly visited there to get these people to reduce their noise.
It would seem that impunity and insolence in this country knows no bounds! All the same, I am including one of my emails from last year that I wrote with possible solutions and we hope and pray that this time round SOMEBODY out there will take heed to our pleas.
We DO NOT want to have sleepless and restless nights starting mid next week - PLEASE!!!!!
Raziya
On 8/17/2010 12:02 PM, Raziya wrote:
Last year, the management of the Showground had scant regarding for the neighbourhood not even for NEMA's officials who repeatedly visited there to get these people to reduce their noise.
It would seem that impunity and insolence in this country knows no bounds! All the same, I am including one of my emails from last year that I wrote with possible solutions and we hope and pray that this time round SOMEBODY out there will take heed to our pleas.
We DO NOT want to have sleepless and restless nights starting mid next week - PLEASE!!!!!
Raziya
On 8/17/2010 12:02 PM, Raziya wrote:
'Morning!
After having suffered sleepless nights for nearly a whole week thanks to the ASK Showground maddening racket, I have several suggestions from the various residents (victims), and myself to this annual problem in the middle of a mainly residential area.
There are also some observations included.
1. Since this is an agricultural show (basically), why include deafening and 24 hours of music into it? In other words exclude the music.
2. If, it is not possible to do this, then, enforce a decibel level which is acceptable to the mainly residential neighbourhood. Or, have these offenders build themselves a soundproofed enclosed space.
3. And if even this is not enforceable and possible, then, move the whole outfit out of this neighbourhood and take it to a less populated place which is not within hearing distance of any populated place. For now, this racket can be heard for miles/kilometers away from the source e.g. the Island of Mombasa proper which is right across from English point and can even be heard in Tudor, etc. At the North Mainland, it can be heard very far, too.
Now, for the observations....
Is our Town Planning Dept. in working order? If so, are they not aware that for people to live peaceful and productive lives, they should not be mixing various things together. Like heavy commercial businesses, night-clubs/bars, etc., within a residential area?
This Show ground is a very offending case in point as well as a shipping office that has been allowed to set up shop round the corner from where I live called Sea Bulk and which attracts huge articulated traffic which is not meant for this side lane and are highly noisy and an obstruction to traffic, too. Reporting this to the Traffic Police has not resulted in any action. Maybe, the owners have 'connections'...?
RE the Showground noisy madness which NEMA was aware of from day one, but, were completely helpless in dealing with. This, I was briefly told was because the Showground management was not at all cooperative. In the process we had to put up with their racket way into the very early hours of Monday morning despite the Show itself having ended on Sunday. Why? Is NEMA without sharp enough teeth? Or were they trying not to tread on some 'interesting' toes by being 'diplomatic'?
So, can the Town Planners start putting their collective heads together and come up with a viable solution, please?
Waiting...,
Raziya
No reply or response....
'Morning!
Since 8.30 am this morning the power suddenly went off and when the newly named Kenya Power (formerly Kenya Weakness & Darkness and it's attitude is still the same!), officials were called they at first said it was coming back in 10 minutes. Then, when nearly 20 minutes had passed with no sign of 'life', I called again and was told that he would call me in 5 minutes.
This was nearly 2 hours ago and despite calling the same numbers which now are not being answered or are busy, the power is still not back and there's no explanation as to why it has suddenly gone off messing us up, yet again!
By changing it's name KPLC has definitely NOT changed it's service provision or anything else for that matter. So, why bother?
Are they EVER going to explain themselves and their shoddy 'services' to their consumers? In this country insolence is a way of life for 'service' providers and they take their clients for granted. Are we going to be spending the rest of the day and probably part of the night in darkness? And why did the power suddenly go off without any warning?
Since 8.30 am this morning the power suddenly went off and when the newly named Kenya Power (formerly Kenya Weakness & Darkness and it's attitude is still the same!), officials were called they at first said it was coming back in 10 minutes. Then, when nearly 20 minutes had passed with no sign of 'life', I called again and was told that he would call me in 5 minutes.
This was nearly 2 hours ago and despite calling the same numbers which now are not being answered or are busy, the power is still not back and there's no explanation as to why it has suddenly gone off messing us up, yet again!
By changing it's name KPLC has definitely NOT changed it's service provision or anything else for that matter. So, why bother?
Are they EVER going to explain themselves and their shoddy 'services' to their consumers? In this country insolence is a way of life for 'service' providers and they take their clients for granted. Are we going to be spending the rest of the day and probably part of the night in darkness? And why did the power suddenly go off without any warning?
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
An invitation to experience garbage burning....
I would like to invite every NEMA representative who can make it even from Nairobi, the Municipal Council's Environment department and the Public Health one, too, to my place at a time when garbage is being burned in the neighbourhood. This, so that they will experience first hand the consequences of their inactivity in stopping this disgusting practice.
It would also help, if they, in the meantime, try and imagine what it is like for the residents of parts of our estate who have to on a daily basis, inhale this acrid smoke with minimum of ventilation in our houses and when some of us are suffering from colds and horrible bronchitis like coughs, too. Maybe, we should take the 3 mentioned above outfits to task, officially, for letting our complaints fall on deaf and uncaring ears.
Oh, but I forgot - that our Municipal Council has scant regard for the rule of law or respect for it and it seems that NEMA is also following in it's lawless footsteps.
Despite having talked to umpteen numbers of NEMA officials both in their Nairobi head office and locally, NOTHING is being done about the issue and the garbage burners in our midst are insolently doing this every single day anytime of the day or night! Of late, it's been happening during the lunch hour.
So, could you all please, accept my invitation to experience what it feels like to inhale garbage burning right outside your living quarters? And it will be a special 'treat' if some of you are suffering from a bout of cold, 'flu and coughs, too! Let's see how you like it. Not to mention the muck that will dirty the house/s just after you've cleaned up.
It would also help, if they, in the meantime, try and imagine what it is like for the residents of parts of our estate who have to on a daily basis, inhale this acrid smoke with minimum of ventilation in our houses and when some of us are suffering from colds and horrible bronchitis like coughs, too. Maybe, we should take the 3 mentioned above outfits to task, officially, for letting our complaints fall on deaf and uncaring ears.
Oh, but I forgot - that our Municipal Council has scant regard for the rule of law or respect for it and it seems that NEMA is also following in it's lawless footsteps.
Despite having talked to umpteen numbers of NEMA officials both in their Nairobi head office and locally, NOTHING is being done about the issue and the garbage burners in our midst are insolently doing this every single day anytime of the day or night! Of late, it's been happening during the lunch hour.
So, could you all please, accept my invitation to experience what it feels like to inhale garbage burning right outside your living quarters? And it will be a special 'treat' if some of you are suffering from a bout of cold, 'flu and coughs, too! Let's see how you like it. Not to mention the muck that will dirty the house/s just after you've cleaned up.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Re: Burning garbage... and the forthcoming ASK Showground racket
Since, my email of yesterday and my talk on the phone with Mr. Wemali, I've had very little encouraging news to report regarding NEMA's action on this matter.
In fact, when I could not get either Mr. Wemali or Mr. Bakari Mangale to take action on the matter, I was compelled to call NEMA's head office in Nairobi. I was finally put through to a Mr. Reagan Awino who in turn gave me the Provincial Director's cell phone number and email address. When I called him, I found that he was on leave but, he smsed me a Mr. Shimba's number.
The final outcome of all these calls was that, nothing could be done today till Mr. Shimba consults with Mr. Bakari tomorrow. In fact, Mr. Shimba did scant little when I had called him the first time earlier in the afternoon, it seems. It was when, I called him again around sunset when clouds of smoke started emanating from the same plot and enveloping the whole area, that I was told that we in this neighbourhood would have to spend another night inhaling this obnoxious air. I was and am thoroughly disgusted with the way NEMA works..... or rather it does not, in fact. My parting sentence to Mr. Shimba was that I would pass out IF NEMA would do it's work effectively and promptly hung up!
Btw, I think I know what might have miffed Mr. Shimba off. When I requested that they (NEMA), should also, while there's ample time, to look into the forthcoming ASK Show in August and the racket that the residents of Nyali and part of the Island of Mombasa are unwillingly treated to every year. This year, it will also be Ramadhan, then. He was not in the least sympathetic and told me that they have every right to do this since it's a National event. Doesn't matter that there is a NEMA law against noise which says that it should not be heard beyond a distance of 30 metres. This ASK Showground racket is heard for kilometres around!
I have now requested some other people to take up this challenge and I hope and pray that they will be more successful and we, in this neighbourhood, will not have to inhale muck which is highly dangerous to our health.
In fact, when I could not get either Mr. Wemali or Mr. Bakari Mangale to take action on the matter, I was compelled to call NEMA's head office in Nairobi. I was finally put through to a Mr. Reagan Awino who in turn gave me the Provincial Director's cell phone number and email address. When I called him, I found that he was on leave but, he smsed me a Mr. Shimba's number.
The final outcome of all these calls was that, nothing could be done today till Mr. Shimba consults with Mr. Bakari tomorrow. In fact, Mr. Shimba did scant little when I had called him the first time earlier in the afternoon, it seems. It was when, I called him again around sunset when clouds of smoke started emanating from the same plot and enveloping the whole area, that I was told that we in this neighbourhood would have to spend another night inhaling this obnoxious air. I was and am thoroughly disgusted with the way NEMA works..... or rather it does not, in fact. My parting sentence to Mr. Shimba was that I would pass out IF NEMA would do it's work effectively and promptly hung up!
Btw, I think I know what might have miffed Mr. Shimba off. When I requested that they (NEMA), should also, while there's ample time, to look into the forthcoming ASK Show in August and the racket that the residents of Nyali and part of the Island of Mombasa are unwillingly treated to every year. This year, it will also be Ramadhan, then. He was not in the least sympathetic and told me that they have every right to do this since it's a National event. Doesn't matter that there is a NEMA law against noise which says that it should not be heard beyond a distance of 30 metres. This ASK Showground racket is heard for kilometres around!
I have now requested some other people to take up this challenge and I hope and pray that they will be more successful and we, in this neighbourhood, will not have to inhale muck which is highly dangerous to our health.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Burning garbage...
As I write this, most of our estate is enveloped in smoke since 7.15 pm and it is still going on!
I have tried calling Mr. Ben Wemali of NEMA, and when he finally answered, I was told that they are going to do something about it tomorrow. So, till then we spend most of tonight inhaling acrid smoke.
NEMA had, we thought, put a stop to this regular practice last year, but, it would seem that the owner of the plot has gone back to burning what his people dump in that empty plot next to our estate. And since, I took pictures of what they do in the daytime, last year and 'shared' them with the media among others, he/she has taken to setting fire to the collected garbage under cover of darkness.
Of course, our useless Council is also to blame since they do not collect garbage on a regular basis and Mombasa has now got itself the reputation of being one of the dirtiest and stinking 'cities' in the entire country! Starting from the Airport (imagine this from the tourist point of view), as we cross the Makupa Causeway, among the first things that one notices is the traffic chaos, and then a stench assailing our olfactory senses. This comes courtesy of Kibarani.
Heading further afield into town or after crossing the Nyali bridge, people encounter another 'interim' dump site this time courtesy of our Council, on the Mombasa/Malindi road. Again, there is also the chaotic traffic which is also highly noisy.
I'm sure our foreign visitors think that this place looks like a proper banana republic of their imagination. Where anything goes and no applicable law is apparent to them.
If our officialdom has no care about the residents and the kind of lives they are compelled to live, shouldn't they at least be thinking of the fact that Coast Province, in particular Mombasa is a great tourist attraction? And therefore, clean it up physically and also it's act?
I am wondering if NEMA and it's representative in the form of Mr. Ben Wemali will keep his promise of dealing with the latest environmental 'enemy', that I have reported. They should also inform the public on how to deal with uncollected garbage without setting it on fire.
I have tried calling Mr. Ben Wemali of NEMA, and when he finally answered, I was told that they are going to do something about it tomorrow. So, till then we spend most of tonight inhaling acrid smoke.
NEMA had, we thought, put a stop to this regular practice last year, but, it would seem that the owner of the plot has gone back to burning what his people dump in that empty plot next to our estate. And since, I took pictures of what they do in the daytime, last year and 'shared' them with the media among others, he/she has taken to setting fire to the collected garbage under cover of darkness.
Of course, our useless Council is also to blame since they do not collect garbage on a regular basis and Mombasa has now got itself the reputation of being one of the dirtiest and stinking 'cities' in the entire country! Starting from the Airport (imagine this from the tourist point of view), as we cross the Makupa Causeway, among the first things that one notices is the traffic chaos, and then a stench assailing our olfactory senses. This comes courtesy of Kibarani.
Heading further afield into town or after crossing the Nyali bridge, people encounter another 'interim' dump site this time courtesy of our Council, on the Mombasa/Malindi road. Again, there is also the chaotic traffic which is also highly noisy.
I'm sure our foreign visitors think that this place looks like a proper banana republic of their imagination. Where anything goes and no applicable law is apparent to them.
If our officialdom has no care about the residents and the kind of lives they are compelled to live, shouldn't they at least be thinking of the fact that Coast Province, in particular Mombasa is a great tourist attraction? And therefore, clean it up physically and also it's act?
I am wondering if NEMA and it's representative in the form of Mr. Ben Wemali will keep his promise of dealing with the latest environmental 'enemy', that I have reported. They should also inform the public on how to deal with uncollected garbage without setting it on fire.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Living conditions of Kenyans
A couple of weekends ago, Mwenda Njoka wrote a comment in the Weekend Star which really hit the nail on the proverbial head regarding residential areas and their deliberate and insensitive downgrading by our various Local Authorities all over the country, though his comments were only dealing with Nairobi and environs.
Unfortunately, this 'disease' of converting residential areas into commercial ones is an on going exercise by ALL local authorities countrywide. This results in the following...
1. There are no quiet and peaceful areas anymore anywhere. Since commercializing an area means that everything and anything can and is allowed to sprout in the name of commerce in the middle of residential areas.
2. This means that the infrastructure leading to residential areas, like roads, which were never meant for heavy commercial traffic, suffer the results of this. We get awful pot-holes which the road maintenance 'authorities' are very averse to fixing as soon as they are messed up.
3. There is no regulation on the noise levels created by all of the above since everybody uses these so-called residential areas for everything under the sun. For example, tuk tuks and matatus and even some private cars, play loud and earsplitting levels of music at all hours of the day and night. Heavy commercial vehicles encroach and rev with resultant exhaust fumes pervading our houses nearly all the time.
4. The mushrooming of sky scrapper buildings without any specific planning everywhere means that huge trucks carrying building materials are continuously plying our 'delicate' side roads degrading them. This also means, due to no planning, that these buildings block the light and air, etc., of others next to them. One would think that our town planners would make sure that things are planned in such a way in this day of environmental awareness that people can use the maximum of natural light and if structures are prefabricated, these heavy commercial vehicles supplying building materials would be to a minimum. Not to mention that houses, etc., would be more cost effective for the builder and the buyer, as well as environment friendly. But, do our policy makers even give a moments thought to such issues?
5. We need lots of green open spaces for various reasons among which are places for children to play. Most of our residential areas and estates have none. Why?
6. Instead, we have livestock sprinkled all over town and residential areas causing terrible traffic jams and questionable health issues.
7. There is no enforcement of the amount of noise that can be allowed at anytime anywhere, including residential areas. Therefore, when the average Kenyan goes home expecting peace and quiet and to be able to relax, there is no such thing, as s/he is inundated by noise, air-pollution, etc. Even the children who need this peace and quiet more than anybody else to study, find none. And those are our future. Despite there being laws regarding noise and air pollution, NEMA rarely enforces this, even after such things are reported to them. Why?
8. Since roads are not maintained and upgraded, all road users; yes, even pedestrians (who are in the majority), suffer the consequences, especially during the rainy season. When, we suffer some injury or damage to our person and vehicles, our road maintenance 'authorities' are never taken to task by being sued for damages. In this day of unbelievable expenses and despite paying road and fuel levy, very few roads are fixed or maintained. If anybody wants examples, please, contact me and I will show them 'live' examples. As I've mentioned countless times previously, Coast Province has a 'shortage' of any new roads built since independence and even the ones that are still there are not maintained in a timely manner. Only up-country roads are made and maintained. Why? We urgently need new roads down here, too, since Mombasa has been given a 'city' status ages ago, but, it is only in name. We also pay taxes, remember, by the millions every single day via road and fuel levy. Use it to give us better roads, please.
Unfortunately, this 'disease' of converting residential areas into commercial ones is an on going exercise by ALL local authorities countrywide. This results in the following...
1. There are no quiet and peaceful areas anymore anywhere. Since commercializing an area means that everything and anything can and is allowed to sprout in the name of commerce in the middle of residential areas.
2. This means that the infrastructure leading to residential areas, like roads, which were never meant for heavy commercial traffic, suffer the results of this. We get awful pot-holes which the road maintenance 'authorities' are very averse to fixing as soon as they are messed up.
3. There is no regulation on the noise levels created by all of the above since everybody uses these so-called residential areas for everything under the sun. For example, tuk tuks and matatus and even some private cars, play loud and earsplitting levels of music at all hours of the day and night. Heavy commercial vehicles encroach and rev with resultant exhaust fumes pervading our houses nearly all the time.
4. The mushrooming of sky scrapper buildings without any specific planning everywhere means that huge trucks carrying building materials are continuously plying our 'delicate' side roads degrading them. This also means, due to no planning, that these buildings block the light and air, etc., of others next to them. One would think that our town planners would make sure that things are planned in such a way in this day of environmental awareness that people can use the maximum of natural light and if structures are prefabricated, these heavy commercial vehicles supplying building materials would be to a minimum. Not to mention that houses, etc., would be more cost effective for the builder and the buyer, as well as environment friendly. But, do our policy makers even give a moments thought to such issues?
5. We need lots of green open spaces for various reasons among which are places for children to play. Most of our residential areas and estates have none. Why?
6. Instead, we have livestock sprinkled all over town and residential areas causing terrible traffic jams and questionable health issues.
7. There is no enforcement of the amount of noise that can be allowed at anytime anywhere, including residential areas. Therefore, when the average Kenyan goes home expecting peace and quiet and to be able to relax, there is no such thing, as s/he is inundated by noise, air-pollution, etc. Even the children who need this peace and quiet more than anybody else to study, find none. And those are our future. Despite there being laws regarding noise and air pollution, NEMA rarely enforces this, even after such things are reported to them. Why?
8. Since roads are not maintained and upgraded, all road users; yes, even pedestrians (who are in the majority), suffer the consequences, especially during the rainy season. When, we suffer some injury or damage to our person and vehicles, our road maintenance 'authorities' are never taken to task by being sued for damages. In this day of unbelievable expenses and despite paying road and fuel levy, very few roads are fixed or maintained. If anybody wants examples, please, contact me and I will show them 'live' examples. As I've mentioned countless times previously, Coast Province has a 'shortage' of any new roads built since independence and even the ones that are still there are not maintained in a timely manner. Only up-country roads are made and maintained. Why? We urgently need new roads down here, too, since Mombasa has been given a 'city' status ages ago, but, it is only in name. We also pay taxes, remember, by the millions every single day via road and fuel levy. Use it to give us better roads, please.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Re: Smoky neighbourhoods...
I just hope that the matter of burning garbage in my cousin's neighbourhood will be as expeditiously dealt with as a similar one that I had been experiencing last year in my own, in Mombasa, by NEMA.
This burning usually takes place under cover of darkness so that the miscreants will not be seen and known and identified. These people never give a thought to what their smoke does to the people living and/or working around. They are also highly ignorant and moronic people who practice this method of dealing with overflowing garbage with little regard for the environment, either. Of course, our various local authorities are equally to blame as they do not collect garbage efficiently and regularly for this NOT to happen. Why?
In Mombasa, our Council has a novel method of dealing with overflowing garbage and uncut grass. They let loose a few herds of livestock in the form of cows and goats who 'efficiently' go about toppling garbage cans and unmown grass all free of charge. Yes, these animals cause traffic jams, etc., but Mombasa residents have to deal with narrow roads, tuk tuks, matatus, mkokotenis, etc., anyway, so a few herds of livestock who are in the 'employ' of our local government can also be 'tolerated' since they are helping our Council try and keep the place 'clean'!!! It hardly ever works and we have informed our Council of this many times, but, who listens in that 'headquarters' of 'change'?
Best wishes with prayers,
Raziya
On 6/4/2011 12:11 AM, Dr Juzar Hooker wrote:
This burning usually takes place under cover of darkness so that the miscreants will not be seen and known and identified. These people never give a thought to what their smoke does to the people living and/or working around. They are also highly ignorant and moronic people who practice this method of dealing with overflowing garbage with little regard for the environment, either. Of course, our various local authorities are equally to blame as they do not collect garbage efficiently and regularly for this NOT to happen. Why?
In Mombasa, our Council has a novel method of dealing with overflowing garbage and uncut grass. They let loose a few herds of livestock in the form of cows and goats who 'efficiently' go about toppling garbage cans and unmown grass all free of charge. Yes, these animals cause traffic jams, etc., but Mombasa residents have to deal with narrow roads, tuk tuks, matatus, mkokotenis, etc., anyway, so a few herds of livestock who are in the 'employ' of our local government can also be 'tolerated' since they are helping our Council try and keep the place 'clean'!!! It hardly ever works and we have informed our Council of this many times, but, who listens in that 'headquarters' of 'change'?
Best wishes with prayers,
Raziya
On 6/4/2011 12:11 AM, Dr Juzar Hooker wrote:
I write to you in desperation as my neighbours burn rubbish in their plots with impunity, often at night, resulting in severe distress to us, a veritable health hazard, a public nuisance, and environmental pollution. This is occurring off Eldama Ravine Road on an almost daily basis, in spite of requests to stop. I am sure NEMA would be interested in taking some long awaited action.
Dr Juzar Hooker
Consulting Neurologist
Rooms 401/2, Doctors Plaza, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi
Phone +254 20 3744256/7, 3662769
Telefax +254 20 3744257
E-mail: juzar.hooker@aku.edu, jhooker@africaonline.co.ke
P O Box 19396 – 00202 KNH, Nairobi, Kenya
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