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Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has broken his silence after visiting the infamous Njiru footbridge that went viral on social media with residents lamenting that it poses a danger to them.
The county boss toured the area on Friday, June 2 and revealed that the concrete slab was not meant to be a footbridge despite residents using it as such, noting that it was initially intended to be a trunk sewer.
"Went to Njiru Ward at the site of the infamous "bridge" that's been highlighted on social media. It's an old trunk sewer that's been used for decades by residents to cross. It shouldn't be used as a bridge," Sakaja stated after the visit.
He noted that county engineers have designed a footbridge with construction commencing immediately.
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"My engineers have designed an alternative footbridge that pedestrians and bikes will be using at the correct place. We commence immediately," the governor said.
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On claims of raw sewage flowing in open drainage and spilling into the river, Sakaja noted that illegal farming is to blame for the situation with farmers infiltrating the drainage, blocking it and using the spillage for their farms.
The county boss stated that the process of unblocking the sewer line has commenced and anyone caught blocking the same will face the law.
"The sewer pouring into the drainage (its not the river) is as a result of illegal farming where farmers infiltrate the sewer blocking it so as to use the spillage for their farms. our Engineers are unblocking the sewer line and we will deal with those perpetrating the illegality." Sakaja noted.
Upon completion of the footbridge, residents will stop using the trunk sewer.