A Kenyan thrilled hearts of many after he was captured trying to unclog a blocked drainage system in Mombasa on Sunday, May 7.
In a video filmed by Elkana Jacob, the man living with disability could be seen struggling to work on the flooded Urban, Mombasa Law Court Roundabout adjacent to David Kayanda.
The video showed drivers of vehicles and tuk-tuks struggling to navigate the flooded road but no one getting out to help the man.
“I was coming from church when I saw the man busy unclogging stormwater which was making the roundabout almost impassable.
“I stopped to help him and wondered for sure that we are different. May God bless him,” Elkana wrote.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke Elkana, a media consultant and security analyst, noted that the man espoused that disability is not inability.
“It was refreshing to see someone who was willing to go out of his way despite challenges he was facing to help clean the city,” Elkana remarked.
On why he was unclogging the drainage, the man explained, “I just saw stormwater and since I usually walk in this area, I just decided to unclog.”
“This is our city and we must all step in,” the man added while rallying Mombasa residents to help avert flooding in the region.
Many parts of Mombasa and Nairobi have experienced flooding as rains continue to pound and this has been blamed on poor drainage systems.
On Saturday, April 22, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir put the city on high alert noting that buildings risked sinking.
“If the rain continues with this intensity, it will turn into a disaster because many contractors have put structures without putting into consideration drainage system,” the governor warned as he toured Utange region in Bamburi Ward.
On his part, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja dared activists to organise protests due to poor drainage in the capital.
“Road, drainage, solid waste management. It’ll be sorted. But if you’d like, you can organize a protest. I don’t mind,” Sakaja on Thursday, May 4, told activists.
The statement from Sakaja was triggered by activist Boniface Mwangi’s post which stated that it was imminent that residents from Pipeline Estate would organise protests due to poor drainage.
