IS IT TRUE THAT BOYS DON'T CLEAN THEIR UTENSILS REGULARLY IN CAMPUS?

By Samuel Ngala

It is rumoured that university students especially boys don't like washing utensils. The reasons behind this are so many but the dominant one according to the results I got after interviewing some boys in non- residents hostels is boys have laziness when it comes to washing utensils.

Considering that some of the boys wash utensils after a while ,they told me how they manage to do so even though it may be seen as impossible. Some boys allowed me to quote them but some did not want to ." I choose to stay with dirty utensils because it's so hard for me to wash them, this is because at my home my mother does almost everything for us. It is something that I am facing for the first time. I went to boarding school since class six to form four and I've never washed utensils during that period. I prefer washing them when I am completely bored", one of the students disclosed this in an interview.

A different boy told me that they re-use the utensils when all when dirty." I use the sufuria I used to cook ugali to cook another ugali, actually I can use that sufuria to cook ugali three times. Also the sufuria I made tea with, I use it to cook sukuma wiki since I'll just have to rinse the tea. Sometimes when I wash the dishes, I don't want to cook because they will be dirty and I won't wash them, I prefer made foods. Situations that will force me to wash utensils even if I don't want to are like when someone visits me ,"Victor chipa a second year student disclosed.

This level of laziness is so ridiculous. Maybe they are not aware but this actually affects their health. A house full of dirty utensils especially if they have stayed for a while will attract insects and even make breeding grounds for the dangerous mosquitoes. Insects like fruit flies will always be in that room causing discomfort when they fly around. Mosquitoes are so dangerous, they are the sole source of Malaria . Having dirty dishes will encourage them to multiply .

Bad smell is another effect. It is hard to stay in a room with such a smell of dirty utensils . The smell causes discomfort and you can't stay for too long in the room- I had to stay strong to finish the interview in a certain room. I saw a heap of dirty clothes at the corner of the same room. I wasn't surprised to see six cans of air freshener in that room.

Lastly, I came across another boy who also didn't want to disclose his identity. His story on the subject was worse. "Washing utensils is for women and I am not one. I will wash only the utensils I want to use, the rest my girlfriend will when she visits. Mimi hata kuoga ni mara moja moja", he added.

I visited a health officer - Dr. Frederick Kimathi - (clinical officer, Chuka university dispensary) to acquire full information on the effects of being dirty and especially having dirty utensils for long. He said that it is a health hazard to have not only dirty utensils around you but also all the things around. This would lead to contamination of food which may bring infections like cholera , dysentery, gastroenteritis , food poisoning and many more infections. "The dirty utensils will attract flies and cockroaches that might land on your food or food substances and when you consume the food you get diarrhoea related infections ", Dr. Frederick Kimathi Said.

According to him diseases like asthma and allergies are a perfect example of diseases that can be worsen by being dirty. "Though sometimes patients present themselves to the hospital tidy and clean, we sometimes know that they live in a dirty place because they show signs and symptoms of diseases that are caused by dirt", he added.

He also informed me that boys may be the majority of those who don't clean utensils regularly but there are several cases that prove that some girls are also dirty and lazy to wash those utensils. Based on this I also realized that some girls don't show it but are also dirty .

"It is important to live in a clean environment and to clean our utensils, our body, our houses and our surroundings.This will set us free from having diseases that are caused by dirt and insects." He concluded.