Shoddy road design force tenants out of floods-prone houses

A poorly built road in Tala town in Matungulu sub-County has caused nightmares to a landlord who is now counting loses after tenants moved out of the rental houses.

Mr Mutisya Mutua told AVDelta News that his tenants could not cope with recurrent floods caused by drainage water from the road culvert.

He said the poor construction of a culvert on Tala-Thika road near Total Petrol station had caused storm drainage water to flood his housing units, causing tenants to move out.

He said his complaints about the issue to the relevant authorities have borne no fruits since 2017.

Mr Mutua said as a result, he has incurred numerous loses and the investment which he hoped would help him in his old age is now ruined.

He wants the road engineer involved to consider redesigning the culvert so as to save his investment.

"I invested in this building so that revenue from it can take care of me at this old age, but now I am suffering after tenants moved out due to flooding," said Mr Mutua in a letter to Put-in Contractor which is copied to the Matungulu sub-County Engineer, Ward Representative (MCA), and area Member of Parliament.

He said he put up the buildings in 1980, but recent infrastructure developments, which he said are poorly done, have ruined everything.

Mr Mutua said his apartment flooded for the first time in December 2017 during historic flooding in the area and has flooded again at least seven(7) times.

He said when it rains, it worries him a lot.

"Anytime it rains, even the slightest bit, it floods into my units, causing tenants to move out. If the showers are heavy, the water floods in my apartment upto a level of three(3) feets up," he said on Monday during an interview with AVDelta News.