Our children can’t sleep because of bar noise, Maragua parents lament

A section of Maragua town. Parents said some bars situated in the town next to residential plots in Murang’a are notorious where loud music is played late into the night.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

Parents in Maragua town have written to the county security committee complaining that their children cannot concentrate on their homework owing to loud music from bars.

They protested that this is the third time they were complaining yet no action had been taken.

"This is to make it known to the security committee that bar operators must keep volume levels in conformity with acceptable sound decibels. When the law says noise should not exceed 30 decibels, our meters have recorded the highest sound at 89 which is unacceptable," the letter signed by their secretary, Phillis Wangui reads.

They said some bars situated in the town next to residential plots in Murang’a are notorious where loud music is played late into the night.

“As a result, the town being also a residential area where we have schoolchildren, they are inconvenienced in revising, doing their homework and having quality sleep,” Ms Wangui said.

She said several parents have been passing the information to the education director’s office as well as to the county commissioner but no action had been taken.

Operate past the stipulated hours

“We do not even know why these bars are allowed to operate past the stipulated hours,” she added.

Parents in the area have warned that if the issue is not addressed, they will mobilise locals to raid those bars and close them down.

“Families cannot be held at ransom by people who don’t care about family values. We are responsible parents and we cannot just sit down and watch our children suffer,” said a parent at Maragua.

Ms Wangui showed Nation.Africa samples of messages that they have been sending to area security officers and which have not been acted upon.

“In fact, one of the bar owners recently called and warned me not to get myself in a fight with the business community…It was very clear that the complaints were leaked to the said bar owners and our identities disclosed,” she said.