A cholera streak that affected some parts of Migori County early April this year is still fresh on the minds of the local population.
While the Health Department reported 53 cholera cases and one death with an assurance of a complete containment of the disease, fears are still rife that cholera and other contaminable diseases could hit hard in the area once more in the near future.
Residents point fingers at the increasing poor sanitation mainly within towns and market places.
A case in point among many is the Maridi open market in the suburbs of Migori town whose cleanliness has been completely sabotaged by mountains of uncollected garbage and free-flow open sewer for a couple of months now.
A once lively and dependable center for trade, a home for tough business people and a community interaction point, Marindi market is no doubt slowly slipping into a worst sanitation place, suffocating under piles of uncollected garbage.
Any visitor to the market would always twitch his or her nose in efforts to resist the unbearable smell emitted from the putrid waste and block drainage.
To the locals, Marindi market is a vital part of Migori town’s economic hub, supporting hundreds of hustlers and small-scale business people. But without urgent intervention, the current garbage crisis threatens to turn this economic life line into a health disaster.
Local residents who depend on Marindi market for fresh produce are also a concerned lot. Some have now opted to shop elsewhere due to the poor hygiene standards. For them, it’s not just about convenience anymore but also safety.
However, constant assurances from the Ministry of Health and local authorities that all measures were being rolled out to improve the status of hygiene at the market has not appeased the anger of the market dwellers who are now accusing the market managers of ineptness.
The chairman of Migori Municipal Board Robert Mandela who has been tough on the County cleaning services department for not regularly removing the ever growing garbage within the local markets and Migori town has won the hearts of the local business people, but the change is yet to be seen.
Mrs. Conslate Awino, who runs a small hotel in the market, is among the many traders whose businesses are on the verge of collapse because of the poor hygiene around their business premises.
The dumping site is too close to my hotel. The smell alone is enough to drive away customers. I have lost more than half of them. Health officers are nowhere to be seen and we feel neglected,” she says.
Her hotel stands just a few meters away from the main garbage heap that continues to grow unchecked. Plastic bags, rotting food and organic waste pile up every day, chased by flies and street children who scavenge through the mess in search for food. For her, preparing meals in such an environment feels like a gamble with people’s lives.
“This is food,” Anyango shows out to the KNA crew that visited her business place this week on a spot check mission. “No one will eat in a place that smells like a dump site. The health risks are real,” she rues.
Just a few stalls away, Dickson Otieno, a wholesaler in the market, points out to another aspect of the problem that is poor drainage. He describes how dirty water collects in the market whenever it rains, mixing with garbage and creating pool foul-smelling sludge that take days to dry.
“It’s a health hazard,” Dickson says. “The smell is unbearable and the environment is totally polluted. As someone who also lives nearby, it affects me and many others in the area,” he adds.
Dickson explains that the flooding doesn’t just affect his business but also his home life. He worries about waterborne diseases such as typhoid and cholera becoming more frequent due to contamination.
Despite numerous complaints by traders, no lasting solution has been provided. Waste continues to be dumped carelessly throughout the market. Plastic bags, though banned, are still in wide use and litters every corner of Marindi market.
Customers now avoid the area and traders are left to compete for a dying market.
Among those directly affected is Rosaline Akumu, a vegetable vendor who sells tomatoes, onions, and leafy greens. She says waste is often dumped near her stall, making it difficult to maintain hygiene and attract customers.
“People throw garbage everywhere even near food stalls,” Rosaline says. “Street children eat leftovers from the garbage, and we are seeing cases of cholera. We are trying to keep our space clean, but it’s not enough,” she says.
Rosaline worries that if the situation continues unchecked, food safety in the market would deteriorate, putting both traders and buyers at risk. For her, the solution lies in proper garbage zoning.
“There should be one designated place for garbage, far from the market. The government should also bring in cleaners. If we get support, we will help too,” she says adding that uncollected waste and open dumping not only harmed their businesses but also lowered the dignity of the market itself.
“This market feeds so many families. If we let it rot, we are hurting our own community,” she says.
Mr. Ochwere Samson, a senior officer at the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) office, acknowledges the growing concerns and outlines what the agency is doing to manage the situation.
“At Marindi market, the main issues are organic waste and plastic bags. People still use plastic bags despite the ban and dispose them anywhere,” he notes.
He adds that NEMA works closely with Migori County Government in managing the disposal of the solid waste. One of their key strategies includes recruiting hustlers in the market to monitor garbage disposal practices and mobilise lorries that transport waste from the site.
“We are trying to be as effective as we can. But there are challenges; we are short on personnel, we don’t have advanced technology, and space within the market is already overstretched,” he says.
Onchwere says that NEMA has conducted multiple public awareness campaigns to help change community behaviour when it comes to environmental care. But he admits that the change has been slow.
“Attitude is a major barrier. We need people to shift their mindset and understand that cleanliness is a shared responsibility. The vendors, consumers and residents must play their part,” he says.
According to him, the long term solution lies in better waste segregation and recycling in line with national sustainable development goals. He emphasizes that when waste is separated at the source, it becomes easier to manage and less likely to cause health hazards.
The voices from Marindi area are clear, traders want urgent action not promises. They want the stench to end, the waste to be moved and their market to return to what it once was; that is a place of business.
Without a swift response, Marindi market risks becoming a danger zone rather than a trading center. The residents and traders of Migori are watching, waiting and hoping that their cry will lead to the change.
By Addah Awuor, Fenny Ogalo and Richard Otieno
