Is the Nairobi River in Kenya in danger of dying?

Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, is crossed by the river, and the once-clear water turns dark. Large birds also eat the dead animals next to them. Nairobi River passes through Kibera, a neighborhood home to about 200,000 impoverished people. It passes by a number of factories that produce building materials, alcohol, and clothing. Environmentalists have charged them with discharging untreated sewage into the sea along with other contaminants like glass, plastic, and oil. Many Kenyans are fed by the nearby farms, whose crops experts and locals worry are being harmed by the water. The government is stepping up its efforts to clean up the river, and community organizations also assist. However, residents of the rapidly expanding Athi River area, which is around 30 kilometers away, claim they can no longer rely on the water.

Two children are under the care of Anne Nduta. At times, she uses the river’s black waters to wash her children’s clothes by hand.  “When it rains, the Athi River water is generally full with garbage, when it clears a bit we use it to wash clothing,” said Nduta. “However, as the dry season goes on, the water’s color darkens and we have to start purchasing pricey water.” The price of a 20-liter water can is 20 shillings, or $0.16. Every three days, Nduta would require four of them to wash the garments of her infants. Morris Mutunga farms near the Athi River, where he raises vegetables like spinach, kale, and amaranth. When he used river water, he saw crops shrink, even French beans.

Scientist Stephen Obiero focuses on studying the environment and living things. According to him, plant products could be contaminated by germs and viruses if garbage ends up in the river that irrigates fields. Because they cannot afford to use contemporary restrooms, Violet Ahuga claims that her family puts their waste into the river and poops into bags. “I know what I’m doing is polluting, but I can’t afford the 850-shilling (roughly $6.85) monthly toilet fee,” the woman stated. In addition, a lot of unofficial housing developments pipe their effluent directly into the river. People dump contaminated water from the villages into open trenches that flow into the river.