Flamingo Tiles Company Closed

The move follows protests against the firm by locals who claimed it was polluting their neighbourhood, thus posing a health hazard to residents.

The locals stormed the factory premises Wednesday morning to drive home their point.

Kajiado Deputy County Commissioner Hassan Bulle ordered the closure of the factory until an environmental impact assessment report is received from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).

The residents said the company had started using hazardous chemicals in its manufacturing processes and this had adversely affected their livestock as well as their health.

Pupils from Inkasiti Primary School also joined the protest saying that they too had been affected by the increased pollution.

A member of the Kajiado County Assembly Daniel Konchori termed the latest developments as "unfortunate".

Konchori faulted NEMA claiming the body tasked with ensuring environmental management had failed to prevent factories from polluting the environment.

The MCA challenged the management of the Flamingo Tiles Company to ensure that their factory met the requisite environmental safety standards and that pollution levels at the facility were lowered.

The firm has been operating in the area for the last six years.

By Mildred Amoni