Two churches and a bar: Thome residents' nightmare
On March 11, 2024, Zipporah Njeri Mwangi (in red), Nairobi County's Chief Officer-Business and Hustler Opportunities, announced the closure of Jiranis Bistro.
What you need to know:
- One family says this has turned their once peaceful home into a torture chamber.
In 2008, a 26-year-old woman's family bought a house on Plateau Crescent in Thome, Roysambu.
For 14 years they enjoyed the comfort and happiness of their new address.
This tranquillity was abruptly interrupted two years ago with the installation of a car wash, which has since evolved into a noisy club, Jiranis Bistro.
Equipped with the latest and loudest booming speakers, the entertainment venue operates daily and the high decibels have prompted a neighbouring church to find a way above the noise.
PCEA Gateway, which has built two buildings, the main sanctuary and a youth centre, right next to Plateau Crescent, has also purchased similar loud speakers. We discovered that the church is currently building another facility on the site.
The family says this has turned their once peaceful home into a torture chamber. The noise is just too much, especially with the drunkards screaming all night as the DJs pump up the volume so that their bedroom walls vibrate all night.
*Mary Atieno - not her real name as she requested anonymity for fear of reprisals from those unhappy with her protests - recounts her hellish life and that of her suffering neighbours.
"Imagine the noise if you lived next to two churches. Now imagine how much worse it could get if a nightclub started operating right next to the churches. This is the situation that I and other residents of Plateau Crescent, Thome, are currently facing.
"Children, the elderly, the sick and even ordinary people who live here and work day and night cannot sleep. How the relevant authorities allowed and continue to allow these clubs in residential areas is beyond me," Mary said.
"I used to enjoy coming home after a long day away from the hustle and bustle of the city. My home used to be a safe place where I could relax, enjoy the company of my family and forget the worries of this world, if only for a moment.
"But all that changed less than two years ago, after a car wash was installed, setting in motion a series of events that would eventually turn my once peaceful home into a torture chamber.
"It all began in 2022. I remember that Friday night very well because I was randomly awakened by loud blaring music that ripped through the walls of my house.
"First they set up a car wash, which was used as a conduit to introduce a new wine and spirit shop, then a bar in our neighbourhood. I immediately contacted the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) and filed an incident report.
"After several emails and phone calls, Nema gave me the contact details of the Nairobi County Deputy Director of Environmental Monitoring Compliance and Enforcement, as well as several other county officials responsible for the area.
"I wrote to the county through the said director with a copy to Nema, detailing each and every development.
"I followed up with constant phone calls and videos via email, social media and WhatsApp to the official numbers of the county staff showing how the noise level was gradually increasing, but my concerns seemed to fall on deaf ears.
"In July-August last year, the noise from the car wash suddenly went silent. We were overjoyed, thinking that the Nairobi County government had finally listened to our complaints.
"Later we were surprised by the sudden appearance of a new semi-permanent structure in place of the tent. I again sent protest emails to the relevant authorities, asking why the individuals were allowed to erect the structures, why there had been no public participation, and whether our concerns about noise had been addressed, but there was no response.
"So Jiranis Bistro was officially opened in September 2023, with much louder loudspeakers and more weekday events. While all this was going on, PCEA Gateway Church, which runs two churches on the same site, also seems to have acquired loud booming speakers.
"In the past, this hadn't been much of an issue as we couldn't hear the noise from their activities. However, their location, next to the bar, probably prompted the purchase of the loudspeakers, as the noise from the bar was likely to spill into the church.
"It's now a two-horse race between DJs backed by drunkards and pastors speaking in tongues with the support of their flock. It has become unbearable, especially at weekends, as Friday nights are extremely noisy due to the activities of the club.
"The church choir, on the other hand, practices with loud instruments during the day on Saturdays, followed by another session of loud music from Jiranis in the evening.
"On Sundays we have parallel church sessions, followed by loud music from Jirani's Sunday brunch, which lasts until late at night. Our life as a family has been completely disrupted. We are constantly tired and suffer from migraines due to lack of sleep.
"What will happen to us if the noise level is not controlled? What will happen if a new church is allowed to be built even closer to our house? The effects of excessive noise exposure are beginning to manifest themselves physically.
"Recently, I have been experiencing pain in my ears and this feeling of fullness (blocked ears), which finally led me to seek medical attention. The first hospital warned me that I risked going deaf if I didn't either move or, alternatively, force Nairobi County to take enforcement action against the noise polluters.
"The second diagnosed acoustic shock and recommended medical grade earplugs and medication to strengthen the ear nerves as a temporary measure. The third confirmed the diagnosis and also recommended temporary earplugs and the need to avoid excessive noise.
"How do I avoid noise if it's coming into our home? How long will it take for the authorities to respond to our pleas to address the situation?"
Response from officials
On Sunday, Nation.Africa visited Jiranis Bistro to seek a response to noise pollution complaints from Thome residents, but the management declined to comment on the matter.
Church officials also declined to comment on the matter.
They were present at the church on Sunday where Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accompanied by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, presided over a harambee for the construction of the third church.
Nation.Africa contacted Christine Kivuva, the County Sub-County Environmental Officer in charge of Roysambu. Ms Kivuva pointed out that although they are responsible for enforcing noise laws, it is the Nairobi Liquor Authority that should explain how it granted a licence for a nightclub in a residential area.
Nation.Africa contacted the county liquor board's deputy chairperson Judith Nyangi, who responded that they had never received an official complaint from Plateau Crescent residents.
"We are a new regime, let the complainant write and copy me," she said.
The Nation went back to Ms Kivuva to find out why she had never forwarded the email complaints to the board in the past two years, but she refused to answer and asked us to go to her offices.
"We are not going to talk to the media about this and answer the questions you have sent us, the best thing you can do is come to our office and we will talk about it in person," she said before hanging up.
Nation.Africa also contacted Nema who admitted to receiving official complaints from the resident but said their hands were tied.
"It is the county that is in charge of enforcing the law and issuing licences to places like nightclubs that operate in residential areas.
Take it up with them because it is their responsibility," Salome Machua, the deputy director of enforcement at Nema, told Nation.Africa in a telephone interview.
Mary has not given up her seemingly futile search for a quiet home. On January 8, she wrote an official complaint to the Ombudsman's office.
Mr Jacob Malelu officially acknowledged receipt of her complaint.
Mary has not yet received a reply.
