By Tobias Ogutu
Discrimination is a pervasive issue affecting many parts of the world. It can take various forms, including discrimination based on gender, race, age, ethnicity, and social class. In Kisumu County, class discrimination is particularly evident. The county leadership tends to prioritize development in formally settled areas while neglecting informal settlements. Residents of Nyalenda, Obunga, Manyatta, and parts of Nyamasaria have been appealing to the county government since its inception for equitable resource allocation, but no action has been taken.
The residents of Nyalenda A have been requesting a proper sewer line system for many years, as the estate is located close to the sewage treatment plant. However, their requests have largely been ignored. In contrast, affluent neighborhoods such as Milimani have well-maintained sewer systems despite being several miles away from the treatment plant; a similar situation exists in the Obunga estate. Kevin Okoth points out that Nyalenda could potentially receive sewage services from Milimani estate, yet it still lacks a proper sewage system. This is a question that many Nyalenda residents have been asking for years.
The unfortunate aspect of class discrimination is evident in how sewage leaks are handled in different areas. When there is a sewage leak in Milimani, the authorities respond quickly to fix it. However, when the same issue occurs in Nyalenda, the authorities take an excessively long time to address it. This delay causes sewage to affect residents and leads to disease outbreaks in this modest neighborhood. Mama Dora is confused; she wonders whether only the wealthy pay taxes to receive quality services or if everyone contributes. Kisumu Water and Sewage Company (KIWASCO) is responsible for this discriminatory treatment. Richard Onyango recounts how KIWASCO staff treated him poorly after discovering he was from Nyalenda and had come to report a sewage leak.
Richard is a witness who stated that after making the complaint, it took the staff two weeks to fix the problem—something that would not have happened if a wealthy man from Milimani Estate had complained. This class-based discrimination is detrimental to the development of the country and should be addressed by the relevant authorities. All citizens pay taxes to the government, so the authorities should eliminate discrimination when allocating resources. Every taxpayer has the right to receive quality services from the government, regardless of social class, as is the case in Kisumu County.
