Stakeholders and residents of Thika East sub-county, Kiambu, have asked the government to clean up the Athi River.
They also want a crackdown conducted on factories and industries that are releasing raw waste and other industrial effluent into the river.
Emily Gachengo, the manager at Ananas Mall in Thika, said extreme pollution has choked life out of the river and killed many economic activities including fishing and farming.
“The government must now act and stop pollution of this river. Factories and other establishments that have for years been releasing waste and effluents into the river must be stopped and legal action taken against them," Gachengo said.
"There are thousands of innocent Kenyans who depend on River Athi downstream and their lives are in jeopardy.”
They claimed factories operating in Nairobi and some parts of Kiambu and Machakos counties have been channelling untreated waste into the river.
Locals living down the river in areas of Maguguni, Ngoliba and some parts of Yatta in Machakos county depend on the water for domestic and agricultural use, Gachengo added, and their health is at risk due to its pollution.
The group had converged for a clean-up exercise at the Fourteen Falls tourist attraction site on Wednesday, to mark the International Environment day.
They appealed to the Nairobi, Machakos and Kiambu county governments to address the pollution which will halt many activities along River Athi.
The river sources its water from the Ngong Hills and traverses through Nairobi, Kiambu and other counties in the Ukambani and Coastal regions.
Edward Chule of Athi Kambiti Wildlife Conservancies Association echoed Gachengo's sentiments.
Chule said water life in the river has been cut short by the uncontrolled pollution.
The river used to be a major source of tilapia fish in the region, he said, but this has since changed. No tilapia remain, as they were all choked by the waste, Chule added, saying only some mudfish and catfish are available.
“River Athi is now a sewerage river. We are informed that the waters, which residents rely on for domestic and irrigation purposes, contain heavy metals which put their health and lives at risk,” Chule said.
“The relevant government agencies mandated to conserve our environment including our rivers must wake up from their slumber and restore River Athi.”
Fourteen Falls tourist attraction site on its deathbed
Until a few years ago, the Fourteen Falls was a famous nature wonder that attracted tourists from across the globe.
The Falls, according to local tour guide Dominic Wambua, was a tourist hub that gained the attention and recognition of foreign and local tourists who trooped in to enjoy the view as well as its serenity.
However, heavy pollution of River Athi, where the site lies, has made it a no go zone.
“At the moment, heaps of garbage swept from Nairobi and its environs are already choking this site. Also, when the water levels reduce raw sewerage and hazardous industrial effluents flow freely. This has seen tourists shy away from this place. Again foreign tourists no longer visit this place,” he said.
Local tourists, including schools, churches as well as companies have since then stopped bringing students, worshippers and employees to the site.
Tour guides stationed there are the hardest hit as they are no longer able to eke a living due to the contamination, which has also deterred tourists.
Anne Wambui, a conservator from the Kiambu government revealed that plans are underway to rehabilitate the Fourteen Falls so as to attract more tourists, create jobs for local youth and generate more revenue.
