[A section of River Chania. Photo/the-star]
Residents of Thika in Kiambu County have expressed fear following the rapid growth and spread of water hyacinth in River Chania, the region’s largest river.
Residents of UTI estate are now calling on relevant authorities to come up with an immediate solution to save one of the major sources of water for the region.
“We should not wait until the river is fully covered by the weed like Lake Victoria. The concerned ministries in both the national and county governments should move in,” a resident, Anthony Kibe said as quoted by the Star.
Kibe added that the locals are worried there might be an outbreak of waterborne diseases if measures are not put to curb the spread of the weed.
“Agricultural activities among the river have been cut short and people living downstream run the risk of contracting the diseases since most homes, especially in Gacagi slums, depend on the river for water,” Kibe added.