Residents accuse flower growers of water pollution

Mahee Flowers Ltd, Golden Tulips Farm Ltd and Laurel Flowers located in Kipipiri area of Central Kenya have attracted protests from local residents who have accused the farms of polluting river Malewa. The residents claim that the farms are are blocking the Malewa river and discharging raw sewage and chemicals into it.

The residents recently held demonstrations along the river and vandalised Mahee Flowers' water pump and destroyed pipes. The villagers wanted to invade Golden Tulips Farms and Laurel Flowers, but a contingent of police officers, led by Kipipiri OCS William Leting, stopped them.

Resident Kibunja wa Teresia said they took the law into their own hands when they realised the government is “not willing to resolve our problems, yet we and our livestock are exposed to grave danger”.

“No one cares about us. Our governor is sufficiently informed of our problems, but he continues to sit pretty as we suffer. Our MP Samuel Gichigi and Nyandarua woman representative Wanjiku Muhia are also aware of our suffering. Are we not bona fide residents of Nyandarua? resident Joseph Karuri said.

He said they have been visiting hospitals daily with head and stomach problems. “We have bought all the medicine from the chemists around.”

additional info: The Star Newspaper Kenya