In Murang’a town, an area behind the KCB bank has become an open defecation site for residents and visitors after the public toilet was vandalized and left unrepaired. The situation worsens with dumped garbage, affecting local safety and health. The county government says it plans to build a new facility.
The area, roughly 100 feet by 10 feet, is covered in accumulating human waste, along with a foul smell, rats, and flies. It began being used after the public toilet was vandalized and damaged, forcing residents to resort to the nearby open space amid commercial buildings and rental houses.
Residents complain that the situation torments them, especially due to the stench from garbage being dumped and burned. “What surprises most is people defecating on that garbage then setting it on fire. The smell of rising human feces and waste makes life miserable for nearby tenants,” said Eunice Waithera, a tenant in the area.
As Governor Dr. Irungu Kang’ata advances his Smart City project, praised at the 2025 Smart Cities Forum Awards, locals question how the town can be modern with such an embarrassment. “What kind of modern town is Murang’a if it has this shame, where excrement dries in the sun or is washed by rain into homes toward water sources?” asked James Kimani, an 83-year-old resident.
They say they have complained repeatedly to national and county governments without success, even with community policing efforts. “What can we do? We’ve complained many times to the national and county governments. We even tried using community security to address this issue, but nothing has worked,” said Stephen Mwangi, a trader near the site.
County Chief Health Officer Eliud Maina said the government is aware and in the process of budgeting to fence the area and build a proper public toilet. However, safety risks persist, particularly for women facing assaults, with three mugging reports weekly. Moreover, corrupt officials and some untrustworthy police demand bribes, as happened to Martin Mutiso who paid Sh300.
The town has only two functional public toilets, located on the outskirts, with one in the dangerous Kayole area. “We urge the county government to save us quickly. This situation greatly humiliates human dignity,” said Jacinta Mugure, a 20-year business owner in the town.