Nairobi News

There is a growing menace as countless Nairobians have carried bedbugs back to their homes after boarding matatus to and from work.

Although PSVs are the most commonly used mode of transport in Nairobi, there is a risk of carrying bedbugs back home undetected, which can take years to eradicate from homesteads.

In a bid to tackle the menace, Mountain View County Assembly Member Maurice Ochieng, who is also the chairperson of the County Assembly Committee on Public Health, has called on the County Executive in charge of Health to take immediate steps to fumigate public vehicles to tackle the prevalent bedbug infestation.

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In an interview with Nairobi News, Mr Ochieng shed light on the growing nuisance of bedbugs, rats and cockroaches that have affected numerous residents in Nairobi.

Acknowledging the silent suffering of many, Mr Ochieng stressed the urgency of tackling the problem of bedbugs and pests, especially in Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) where passengers have reported incidents of bedbug infestation.

“The suffering in silence must end. Bedbugs and cockroaches have become an unbearable nuisance for Nairobi residents. We have heard distressing reports of passengers encountering bedbugs in PSVs. I therefore urge the County Executive in charge of health to ensure that all PSVs are thoroughly fumigated,” said Mr Ochieng.

Mr Ochieng also stressed the need for a comprehensive fumigation effort that goes beyond public vehicles.

He called for the fumigation of schools, mosquito-infested estates and county hotels where rat infestation has become a major problem.

Nairobi residents have been waging an ongoing battle against the persistent presence of cockroaches and bedbugs, with families struggling to eradicate these pests from their kitchens, bedrooms and living areas.

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