Residents of shanty dwellers of Mikindani in Mombasa County are calling for the closure of Montrex Transporters Ltd, a cement handling Company over clinker dust nuisance emitted by the cement factory.
The company is at the center of a storm after at least 10 residents of Kikambodia Kikaangoni in Mikindani died of suspected clinker poisoning emitted by the company.
Led by the area MCA Juma Renson Thoya, the residents want an urgent intervention of both County and National government.
Thoya called for investigations against officials from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) who gave the nod for the construction of the cement factory in a residential area.
He also called for the compensation following the death of locals through chest complications ailments as a result of inhaling the poisonous dust.
Thoya said the over 700 families in the slums near the factory inhale clinker dust spewed by the factory which loads and offloads the product for transpiration at the yard.
Those interviewed at Kambodia and Kikaangoni informal settlement in Miritini area, Mombasa say the cement plant is causing high air pollution and that they have had to battle dust clouds.
Clinker is a nodular material produce during the manufacture of cement and used as the binder in many cement products and on exposure to human causes severe skin irritation, chest, lungs and eye infections.
Alex Tayari, a resident of Colombo slum in the outskirts of Mombasa said the pollution has led to many sickness and deaths in the area.
Mwende Musyoka a mother of one claimed she had to undergo an operation after developing respiratory complications and breathing problems.
She said residents have been inhaling the clinker dust and been seeking medication for respiratory problems, eye sores and many other ailments such as TB.
Ms Musyoka said the fine powder dust particles are penetrating the lung cells of the residents and that it was already causing health problems to the children and the elderly.
A local human right activist Sally Wawuda said the company usually carries out the activities at night and the dust billowing make it difficult for residents to enjoy good sleep in their homes.
She says the poor residents’ rights to living in a clean environment have been violated and demands justice for the affected.
The human rights activist say the increased air pollution was causing people living near the cement factory severe ill health and called for its relocation.
“Overexposure to clinker dust can be harmful and the residents are at risk, that is why we want to see the dust problem addressed and justice done for the poor” she said.
