Residents want raw effluent from Kibos factory to a river urgently addressed.

 Part of River Kibos that the residents alleged that it has been heavily polluted by Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries Muhoroni Constituency-Photo By Dickson Odhiambo.

By Dickson Odhiambo.

February 13, 2019.

Residents want  raw effluent from Kibos factory to a river urgently addressed.

RESIDENTS of Kibos area in Kisumu now want both the County Government of Kisumu and National Government to urgently help in addressing the issue of constant emission of raw effluent into River Kibos by an established sugar factory and its allied industries within the area.

A spot check by the media at River Kibos has shown that it has been polluted heavily and the water has turned black in colour.

The residents claim that Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries constantly emit raw effluent into river Kibos which has been their main source of water thereby heavily polluting it.

Addressing the press within the area near Kibos Mosque today, the residents led by Ruth Otieno says they have greatly suffered as a result of the factory putting directly its raw effluent into the river thereby making it not to be good for domestic use.

They further claim that the water has a pungent smell hence they cannot use it for drinking purposes and any other domestic use.

The residents further claim that they can not water their animals using the contaminated water from the river and aquatic life can not be supported by the said water.

“We cannot tolerate this anymore. When I was married here in 1992, I found that river here had a very clear water which we used for drinking and other domestic uses but since this factory was established here, we have been having problem where it is heavily polluted by effluent from this factory,” one of them say.

They say both the two levels of Government must now help them to ensure that the river is not polluted at all from now, adding that they will organize a peaceful demonstration to register their displeasure on the issue.

Mzee Mustapha Hamisi has blamed the two levels of the Government for doing very little to help them on the issue.

Abdala Ramadhan, a 72 year-old who has been living there since he was born said they have been greatly undermined and their rights have been violated for a long time.

He says they have never been recognized hence might be leading to the kind of violations they have been facing including the issue of having the river next to their area being heavily polluted.

Fatuma Hamisi says they have tried their level best to seek assistances from organizations like Haki Jamii and Kisumu Social Rights Association {Kisora}.

They also blame the leadership at the local level of not doing anything to help their current situation, adding that they have suffered for so long.

When the media visited the company today to seek the comments on the matter, the management of the Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries refused to comment and told the media that they will invite them another day where they will be taken around the factory.

ENDS: