Poor Sanitation Management Chokes City Hall Staff

Staff toilets are in pathetic state while county public health inspectors and enforcement officers arraign restaurant operators and food handlers over poor sanitation.

By Adieri Mulaa

Sanitary management at City Hall has degenerated into a pathetic state with stinking VIP washrooms at the Governor’s office and staff toilets in various departments.

Washrooms at the executive wing which serves senior county officials and visiting VIPs have dysfunctional flush systems and most of the time operate on dry taps, the Ministry of Health COVID – 19 protocols notwithstanding.
Users of the VIP washrooms at the office of the governor have to do with water buckets because of the faulty flush systems. Virtually all the toilets at City Hall have assortments of water drums for that purpose.

This is the sorry state that awaits resumption of busy operations at the governor’s wing where the office of the deputy governor is also located.

With Governor Anne Kananu now in office as the third governor of Nairobi, and the speedy approval of her nominee for the position of deputy governor, Mr Mutunga Mutungi, by the Nairobi City County Assembly on Thursday 25 November, 2021 for appointment, heavy human traffic is expected to occur at the governor’s wing.

***A broken sink In the public washrooms at City Court. Photo: Adieri Mulaa***

A senior official who sought anonymity told The Times that in one incident, a magistrate at the City Court which is located within City Hall precincts summoned county officers responsible for maintenance to explain why toilets used by staff and court users as well as those used by suspects in the cells at the court basement were left in such unhygienic conditions.

On the eastern wing of the third floor at City Hall, staff toilets including those for ladies are in a pathetic state. This situation is replicated in other sectors where staff toilets are characterized by foul emissions most of the time.

Worse still, public toilets at the City Court which serve hundreds of court users, city residents seeking services at City Hall and some staff have faulty flush systems. People using the toilets have to do with water buckets.

***Dysfunctional urinal basins in the public washrooms at City Hall covered by polythene paper. Photo: Adieri Mulaa***

Some sinks are either broken or faulty. Urinal basins are either dysfunctional or blocked . Chocking corrosive fumes fill up the atmosphere in the public toilet block at City Hall.

On the other hand, the county sanitary inspectors and enforcement officers will often arraign restaurant operators, food handlers and bar owners at the City Court for the very offences they overlook in their offices at City Hall.

Several County employees working at City Hall who were randomly interviewed by The Times said they were appalled by the pathetic state of toilets yet the unhygienic situation did not seem to bother the administration.

Our effort to get comment of a county officer responsible for hospitality and office Management at City Hall bore not fruit.