Malindi residents want NEMA to ban trucks causing air pollution in residential areas

One of the trucks with loads full of sand from Kibokoni area passing through the residential area road leaving behind a huge cloud of dust on February 8

Malindi North residents want the government to bar trucks carrying sand from passing through their residential areas.

They said most of the lorries use the routes to evade tax at the Kilifi county weighbridge in Kwandomo along the Malindi Lamu Road.

"We want NEMA to take action on these trucks. They have been causing a lot of sound pollution and destroying our roads," Franco Esposito, a Kenyan of Italian Origin said.

Most of the trucks come from Kibokoni area in Magarini.

The residents, majority of them foreigners said more than 40 vehicles use the route daily.

"They operate day and night. The dusk poses a major threat to our health," Esposito said.

His wife Elly Esposito is suffering from bronchitis as a result of the dust.

“We are asking the authorities to make rules that will require the trucks use the main Malindi Lamu road,’’ he said.

Adriano Ghirardello an honorary warden of Malindi and Tsavo national parks who is also a resident of the area asked Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi to intervene and bring an end to the problem.

“The problem is affecting our health, after every five minutes the trucks bring a bigcloud of dust which goes into the houses, it’s difficult to survive in such an environment,’’ he said.

Other residents who operate villas and restaurants along the way claim it is impossible for their clients to sit outside or around swimming pools due to the dust.