City Hall to spend Sh50m on improving Dandora dumpsite
Maribou storks scavenge for food as a truck drives in with fresh garbage at the Dandora dump site on September 24, 2010. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The dumpsite, which started in 1970 as a quarry, is the only official dumping zone in the county.
- Despite being declared full in 2001, the dumpsite has continued to receive waste.
City Hall plans to use at least Sh50 million to modernise operations at Dandora dumpsite.
Nairobi County Environment Executive Vesca Kangogo said Sh40 million will be used to buy another weighbridge.
SOLID WASTE
She said the new weighbridge is expected to give accurate data on the tonnage of solid waste delivered at the dumpsite.
The other weighbridge at the dumpsite, which was installed in 2010, has been faulty. The machine broke down in August last year only to resume operations in April 2019.
The county government will also construct at least five new access roads around the dumpsite in Dandora 4 Ward at a cost of Sh10 million.
These are contained in the Annual development plan for the financial year 2020/2021 which were submitted to the County Assembly Sectoral Committee on Environment last week.
According to Ms Kangogo, the new roads will improve accessibility in and out of the dumpsite.
POPULATION INCREASE
“The roads, which will be at strategic positions in different parts of the dumpsite, are expected to reduce the time taken by trucks as they dump waste at the site,” said Ms Kangogo.
The dumpsite, which started in 1970 as a quarry, is the only official dumping zone in the county.
Over the years, it has grown due to population increase. Despite being declared full in 2001, the dumpsite has continued to receive waste.
However, members of the Environment committee questioned City Hall's plans. They said it has taken almost 15 years to complete the upgrading of John Osogo Road in Dandora Phase 4.
“Despite having failed to improve John Osong Road, the executive is now planning to do five other access roads around the dumpsite,” said Embakasi MCA Michael Ogada.
POOR ROADS
Mr Ogada said given the poor state of the road, it is difficult for trucks, especially in the rainy season, to access the dumpsite.
In 2016, the county government set aside Sh220 million to repair access roads around the dumpsite. John Osogo Road was allocated Sh180 million while Muigai Kenyatta Road received Sh40 million after they were destroyed by El Niño rains.
“John Osogo Road is in a mess,” said area MCA Francis Otieno.
