Residents of Kenyatta Road in Juja, Kiambu County are up in arms over persistent noise pollution by newly established entertainment joints in the area.
The furious residents are demanding action against the clubs, liquor stores and pubs which they are accusing of contravening county and national laws and policy guidelines regulating noise pollution.
Speaking during a public baraza organized by the area assistant county commissioner and chief, the frenzied locals singled out a newly put-up pub that had been constructed as a pork centre to ostensibly hoodwink them only for it to turn out as the most deafening, wildest entertainment joint in the area where all manners of immorality are done.
"The owner of Pork Centre started his business as a food joint only for him to make it a pub where all manner of immorality is done. It’s been very troubling for us especially because of the loud music that plays from the evening till morning," Margret Macharia, one of the concerned residents complained.
The dwellers of the estate where the club has been constructed lamented having suffered from persistent noise pollution leading to lack of sleep, saying that some of them are forced to move houses or self-medicate in order to fall asleep thereby affecting their effectiveness at work.
Despite their complaints to have the entertainment establishment reduce noise pollution and adhere to the laws, the residents who have been moving from one administration office to another noted that nothing has been done as the club continues to operate even past normal operating hours.
Led by Mary Nyambura, the agitated residents said new clubs and pubs are mushrooming in the area with a larger percentage licensed to operate next to residential houses, churches and schools.
"They are building pubs right, left and centre. They don’t mind the presence of people, churches and schools and as a result, we have been forced to live indecent lives. Whenever we lodge complaints to them about the deafening noises, they claim to be marketing the clubs," Nyambura said.
This, they said, has continued to increase cases of insecurity, and has unnecessarily exposed their children to clubbing life besides significantly contributing to property devaluation and loss of income for landlords after tenants left the properties.
Angered that environmental assessments and public participation were not done before the establishment joints were built, the locals called on the government led by President William Ruto to intervene and have them closed or turned into food stores for peaceful coexistence.
The owner of one of the clubs aforementioned told the locals that the club had employed their sons and closing it down would mean loss of jobs.
"I consider this as a personal fight between me and a few people here. This business has employed local youths and we are no longer noisy," Zachary Mutheu, the owner of the club said.
Local authorities present promised to do everything within their mandates to heed the cries of locals including ensuring that the clubs are denied licensing.
The locals raised their concerns days after Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi vowed to deregister all bars, wine and spirit outlets operating in residential and nearby learning institutions as part of his administration's efforts to reign the sale and consumption of alcohol and drugs that have continued to wreak havoc in the county.
In a meeting held at the county headquarters and which brought together the county security team led by Police Commander Muchangi Kioi, County CID boss Richard Mwaura and the entire department of administration from the County, the county administration heads resolved to expedite the elimination of drugs and other harmful substances whose use has escalated in the county.
