Kawangware 46 residents are lamenting over the poor state of sanitation in the area with a heap of garbage lying along Naivasha road, posing a health risk.

In an interview with The Statesman Digital, Tom Ouma, a resident who’s lived in the area for 23 years, says that the garbage is health hazard and wants quick intervention from authorities.

“Its hazardous, and a big distraction. My customers no longer come here; because of the smell. This place looks dirty, they should do something about this,” Ouma who runs a food joint lamented.

The residents lament that the heap of garbage arose from people dumping rubbish in the area but authorities have not been clearing it up hence the pile up.

However, in an ironic twist of events, the heap of garbage has been a blessing in disguise to some, who are now eking a living out of it.

 “We have benefited a lot (from the garbage). In fact this is where we get food for the pigs,” one of the men we found scavenging the site and who did not wish to be named, said, adding that: “A kilogram of pig’s food goes for Sh160, and in a day we would make up to Sh600 so they should only change the location of this dumping site, but they should also care about our source of income.”

While the garbage poses a health risk, opinion remains sharply divided on its removal as it’s a source of livelihood for others, with the former category now asking the Nairobi County government to quickly intervene.