Tragedy struck the Satellite area of Dagoretti, Nairobi, on Tuesday after three men died while attempting to clear a blocked sewer line on Kabiria Road, in an incident that has reignited public anger over the poor state of sewer infrastructure in the area.
According to residents, the first victim, identified only as Gideon, entered the sewer to clear a blockage that had affected toilets in the surrounding neighbourhood. When he failed to resurface, a second man, identified as Moses Kithure, a construction worker from Tharaka Nithi County, climbed in to rescue him but also became trapped. A third, unidentified man who joined the rescue effort also failed to emerge.
Witnesses say none of the men had secured themselves with safety ropes before entering the trench. While the exact cause of death is yet to be confirmed, locals suspect the men either drowned in rising sewage water or were overcome by toxic gases such as methane or hydrogen sulphide, which can build up rapidly in confined underground spaces and cause sudden suffocation.
The bodies have been moved to the Kenyatta National Hospital mortuary, where they await autopsy as police continue investigations.
Family members were left devastated by the news. Derrick Kinyua Wambugi, a cousin to Kithure, said he received a call around 10am informing him of the incident before rushing to the mortuary to identify the body.
Residents say the tragedy has exposed long-standing dangers posed by exposed and poorly secured manholes in the area. Wambugi raised concern over the safety of children and pedestrians who use the road daily.
“There are many children playing and running along this road. Their lives are at risk. People passing through at night, especially when there are no street lights, may not see the open manholes until it’s too late,” he said.
Locals also claim they had previously raised concerns about the placement of sewer lines during the road’s construction, but their warnings were ignored by contractors. They are now calling on the national and county governments to relocate manholes away from road centers and ensure all openings are properly covered.
The incident highlights a broader pattern across Nairobi’s informal settlements, where untrained casual labourers are frequently hired to manually clear blocked sewers without protective equipment or gas detection tools, placing their lives at serious risk.
As investigations continue, residents are demanding swift action from the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company and county authorities to prevent further loss of life.
