Tenants of Viraj Apartments in Kileleshwa have written a protest letter to the management of the apartments after their water was disconnected as punishment for failing to pay rent using cash.
Some residents have reportedly had to go without water for more than 24 hours, thereby compromising their ability to maintain high hygiene standards.
The World Health Organisation has recommended hand-washing as a key measure to fight the spread of coronavirus which causes Covid-19.
Most of the taps went dry on Wednesday night.
PHOTO | COURTESY
The Kenyan government has advised against the use of cash with banknotes said to carry the virus for several hours hence able to spread Covid-19.
However, this is the mode of payment preferred by the administrators of Viraj Apartments.
But the tenants who will hear none of it have enlisted the services of lawyer Apollo Mboya to tell off the management over their demand.
“As you are aware, following the global pandemic of Covid-19, the Government of Kenya advised among other things to avoid cash transactions by all means. In heeding to that advice, our clients have called upon your office severally during the last two weeks of the month of March requesting you to devise alternative mode of payment other than cash,” Mr Mboya said in the demand letter.
He added: “In heeding the advisory by the Government of Kenya and in order to protect their families, your agent and neighbours, our clients deemed it fit to discuss the issue with the other tenants within the same property in a WhatsApp group. In doing so our clients suggested that they have a written petition, signed by all of the willing tenants and submit to you with the aim of arriving at a different mode of rent payment. Our clients subsequently formed a different group for easy communication of the affected tenants.”
Tenants have been left wondering why they are being forced to pay in cash des.
“We don’t need to pay using cash. Why can’t they just respect the government advisory,” a tenant wondered.
“If they want to punish some people, is disconnecting water for hundreds of people among them kids a solution?” another tenant posed.
After hours of standoff, the residents were rescued by Kileleshwa Officer Commanding Station Mathenge Mithamo who ordered the management to reinstate water supply. A few houses, however, remained without water.
The Government has implored on landlords to be lenient during these tough times. Lawyer Mboya has warned that he would institute a lawsuit against the management should they fail to stop the demand for cash transactions within three days.
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