Residents of Kitengela town are crying foul over uncovered manholes in various undeveloped plots and buildings under construction saying the manholes are exposing children and adults to danger.
On Tuesday evening a 15-year-old boy lost his life after falling into a 60-feet uncovered septic tank in an abandoned construction site.
The twin boy who was waiting to join Form One was playing along with other kids before he fell into the manhole.
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"We just saw young boys running helter-skelter while screaming for help. They told us one of them had fallen into a soak pit near the apartment where they were playing. We rushed there and indeed there was a huge manhole that is uncovered," said Davis Odhiambo, a bodaboda rider in a nearby stage
It took the emergency response team of Kajiado more than six hours to recover the body of the boy.
According to residents, they have time-to-time raised alarm over the uncovered manholes but the administration officers have not intervened in their plight.
The residents recount several cases of children and adults who have lost lives in manholes especially at night.
Some of the manholes have grass and weed around making it impossible for a passerby to notice.
They fear that some of the missing kids who have gone missing mysteriously in the town could have been victims of falling in such manholes without a trace.
"There are so many uncovered pit latrines, sewer septic and soak tanks. Why would a developer leave such an open hole without fencing around or cover? Some of the missing children might have ended up falling into these manholes, "Beatrice Mwende said.
Residents now want the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to ensure rogue developers do not expose residents to risks.
They also want NEMA to warn plot owners against digging pit latrines on their undeveloped plots.
"NEMA ought to do a thorough crackdown on manholes left carelessly around incomplete buildings which are risking people's lives," Freshia Mbithe said.
The body of the boy has since been moved to Shallom Community mortuary.
