Machakos County Senator Agnes Kavindu Muthama has raised concerns about the consumption of food crops irrigated with contaminated water in the Nairobi Metropolitan.
Speaking while issuing a statement to the Standing Committee on Health in the Senate on Thursday, June 5, 2025, she stated that these areas include Kitengela, Athi River Town, Kibera, Greatwall, Kamulu, Maili Saba, and surrounding communities.
She pointed out that untreated wastewater and industrial influence are being used to irrigate vegetable and tuber crops sold in the market and major supermarkets.
Further, Senator Muthama revealed that studies have shown the presence of heavy metals and pathogens in soil used to cultivate food crops poses a health risk to children and pregnant mothers.
“Studies have shown the presence of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, as well as microbial pathogens, in soil used to cultivate these crops. Consumption of such poses high risks, particularly to children and pregnant mothers,” Muthama stated.
As a result, she is seeking to find out from the committee the measures being implemented by the State Department of Public Health and the professional standards in the Ministry of Health to prevent the irrigation of food crops using contaminated water within metropolitan areas, ensuring that food being sold is safe.
She is also seeking to find out the surveillance and regulatory mechanisms in place to test and monitor vegetables and tuber crops sold in formal and informal markets for contamination of heavy metals and pathogens.
“I am seeking to find out whether the ministry has conducted any health impact assessment on the consumption of crops irrigated by polluted water in the affected areas, including findings and subsequent action taken,” she added.
Similarly, she is seeking to find out information on public education initiatives, enforcement measures against violators, and strategies being implemented to secure a good supply chain from contaminated produce.
Kigoro water treatment plant
This comes a few months after the government operationalised the Ksh4.5 billion Kigoro water treatment plant in Gatanga, Murang’a County, to supply water and address the perennial water shortages in the Nairobi Metropolitan region.
The project, financed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) in partnership with the Kenyan government, is part of the Northern Collector Tunnel system (NCT) and is set to provide water to over 1.2 million people across Murang’a, Kiambu, Nairobi, Machakos, and Kajiado counties.
Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa stated that the project, whose construction was completed months ago, had not been operationalised, adding that infrastructure has been laid for the water supply.
