Nairobi families worried over giant rats sneaking into homes

This is a silent concern in estates like Pipeline, sections of Umoja and Donholm, Kayole, Dandora, Kariobangi, Mukuru Kwa Njenga and other areas around Nairobi.

According to residents who spoke Wananchi Reporting, it is not uncommon to spot giant rats scurrying across mountains of garbage and open sewer lines.

Some of these creatures are said to be sneaking into houses to look for food.

Mr. Nixon Magega, a resident of Umoja noted that the rats often oscillate between open sewer lines, drainage tunnels, and their houses.

"The rats sneak into our homes through the toilet hole, cracks on walls, the door or windows," he said, noting that he once found a rat taking a swim in the waters of his toilet. 

“I live on the ground-floor of a four-story building in Umoja, and I can tell you that I share my house with a small family of rats,” said Magega.

Magega lives next to an open sewer line.

Like many other residents, Magega blames the whole situation on poor sanitation in the estates.

“Some of the rats are very big; not the tiny ones we are used to seeing. They scare even our children,” adds Magega.

Another resident blamed the situation on poor or non-existence garbage collection system in most residential buildings.

“I live in a seven-story building in Pipeline. All the garbage is collected at an open corner on ground floors – right inside the building. Sometimes the garbage is left to rot inside the building, thereby inviting rats,” she said.

John Mose, a caretaker in Nairobi said that tenants should look out for holes in walls, and avoid leaving food lying open in their houses.

“Both the landlords and the tenants have a role to play to ensure we don’t have rats roaming our houses."

"As a caretaker I will make sure I replace missing drain covers, and make sure that garbage is not left to accumulate inside or around the building," said Mose.

Residents are asking the county government to improve sanitation in the estates to help keep the rats away.

Meanwhile, some of the residents are already trying to find ways to rat-proof their homes to ward off the rodents.