By:Glory Mwagambo
A dispute over plans to construct a public toilet at Garoda Beach in Watamu, Kilifi County, is raising questions about tourism infrastructure, public health and access to shared coastal spaces.
Beach operators say the site attracts more than 1,000 visitors daily, including international tourists travelling between Malindi and Mida Creek.
They claim the lack of public sanitation facilities is forcing visitors and beach workers to use nearby bushes, exposing them to health risks.
The Kilifi County Government has allocated 3 million Kenyan shillings for the construction, with the Kenya Wildlife Service reportedly providing land for the project.
However, local beach operators accuse some British investors in the area of opposing the development.
Watamu Beach Tour Operators Chairman Danile Musau says the dispute is affecting businesses that depend on tourism.
The operators say they have pushed for a public toilet at Garoda Beach for more than eight years and are calling for the project to proceed.
The dispute highlights wider concerns over the need to balance tourism investment with public amenities and the interests of local communities along Kenya’s coast.
