Some 131 children in Murang'a town have petitioned the County Commissioner and the county government over noisy bars saying it compromises their right to good health.

Acting for them through three(3) selected guardians, Kinuthia and Mwangi Advocates want Murang'a County Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha to commit himself to take action.

They also want the Irungu Kang'ata led County government that is responsible for licensing bars and enforcing pollution that include from noise, to take action against the bars that they have named.

The guardians are recorded as Ms Mary Njuguna, Mr Peter Mark Ngethi, and Evangelist Mary Wambua, representing the listed minors aged between a week and 17 years.

"Kindly note that we come to your office in peace to record our grave suffering owing to booming music played in utter disregard of our right to peace of mind, quality sleep, peaceful execution of homework and right to choose music to listen to," they say in their September 15, 2024 petition.

They describe their suffering to have grave effect on their lives.

"Sir, as victims of insufficient sleep some of us below 10 years have been diagnosed with decreased brain development and negative emotions," they say.

Those older say noise has suffered them deterioration in their studies and others unable to utter their evening and morning prayers.

Sleep deprivation, they say, is criminal and also affects their parents who act erroneously owing to noise induced temperaments.

"Sufficient and quality sleep should not be taken for granted since it has a direct impact on our collective quality of life and good emotions in our parental care," they say.

They now say they want the county commissioner to adhere to medically approved timeframes of ideal sleep.

"Those of us of infant age, demand strict adherence to 12 to 16 hours of sleep, toddlers (1 to 2 years) demanding 11 to 14 hours. Those of us under the category of preschoolers (3 to 5 years) demand 10 to 13 hours of sleep," they said.

The school-aged children (6 to 12 years) say they want 9 to 12 hours of sleep while those in adolescence (13 to 17) years are demanding their share of 8 to 10 hours.

They also want their neighbours also be subject to their deserved 8 hours of quality sleep.

The children argue that they have a right to grow up in peace, access education in an environment of peace, and their wellbeing cease being sacrificed on the altar of pursuit for profits, all forms of patronage and corruption.

They want the County Commissioner to understand their problem also on reality that in the rental rooms around them have people recuperating from ailments and need serenity to heal.

Mr Nkanatha acknowledged receiving the petition and has since ordered his ground officers to move with speed to investigate and take appropriate action.

He added that the complaint messages about noisy bars "have been reaching my office from the public policing platforms and I have been forwarding them to our ground officers".

County government's Environment Executive Member Mary Magochi said "we have seen the complaint and action has already been ordered against the cited bars".

This came even as Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Saturday while on a tour of Murang'a County commended area security teams for eradicating killer brews, bar owners impunity, and instilling operational discipline in the liquor trade sector.

"You are doing a wonderful job and I am happy that we are meeting our objectives in the fight against waywardness of the sector. Keep it up!" Mr Gachagua said recently when he toured the County's Kaharati Primary School.