A group of young people in Naivasha town has taken over the management of a public toilet at the Nairobi–Naivasha matatu terminus, accusing local politicians and senior county officials of using the facility for personal gain.
The youths, operating under the banner of Mountain Group Movers, said their move followed all the necessary procedures and aimed to ensure the facility benefits unemployed locals rather than a few well-connected individuals.
However, Viwandani MCA Mwangi Muraya swiftly condemned the takeover, calling it illegal and insisting that a different group was already under a valid three-year contract with the county government to manage the premises.
For years, the busy and profitable toilet has been at the centre of disputes between local youth groups and successive leaders, given the thousands of shillings collected daily from users.
According to the group’s leader, Edward Gathitu, the current contract had expired, but certain politicians and county workers with vested interests were deliberately blocking new applicants.
“We have decided to take charge of this toilet because it should serve and empower dozens of jobless youths, not enrich a few individuals,” Gathitu said.
The group’s secretary, David Mbugua, said they had long sought permission to manage the facility, claiming their takeover was an act of fairness and economic empowerment.
“We’ve been involved in community work like tree planting around Naivasha. When our application to manage the toilet went unanswered, we decided to act. This facility can provide much-needed jobs for our people,” Mbugua noted.
Another member, Simon King’ori, echoed the frustration, saying it was unfair for salaried county employees to continue running a revenue-generating public facility at the expense of unemployed residents.
“We can’t just stand by as county staff benefit from what should be a source of livelihood for us,” King’ori said.
In response, MCA Muraya, who has been accused by the group of benefiting from the toilet’s revenues, dismissed the allegations and vowed to ensure order is restored.
“There are clear procedures for managing such facilities, and a legally contracted group is already in place. We will not allow illegal takeovers or disruption of public services,” he stated.
The standoff highlights ongoing tensions in Naivasha over public resource management, youth unemployment, and alleged political patronage in the control of lucrative county facilities.
