Nairobi estates to get waste bins as city seeks to end garbage menace

One of the rubbish containers which the Nairobi City County government will distribute at the ward level, estates and in the central business district as it seeks to ease garbage collection. PHOTO | COLLINS OMULO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Contractors who are on a go-slow are demanding over Sh150 million in arrears.

  • Governor Mike Sonko said that the garbage containers had already been procured.

  • Sub-county administrators will be responsible for garbage collection within their areas of jurisdiction.

The Nairobi City County government will launch rubbish containers at the ward level, estates and in the central business district to ease garbage collection in the county.

This comes amidst complaints from private contractors who are on a go-slow demanding over Sh150 million in arrears, accruing from the last administration and part of the new regime.

On Tuesday, Governor Mike Sonko said that the garbage containers had already been procured and the process of distribution would soon start where the first phase would see 40 such containers dispersed with youth groups in the county taking charge of the garbage bins at the ward and estate levels.

“As we continue ensuring that we have a clean city, we are at the same time providing employment to our youths. The first phase of this initiative will see 40 garbage skips distributed in various wards and estates with high concentration of garbage,” said Sonko.

COUNTY STAFF

The governor said that waste management in Nairobi would be handled at estate and ward levels with county staff taking charge of collecting the garbage from the bins and taking it to the official county dumpsites, adding that garbage collection is a duty of the county and not locals.

“We will decide on where to erect them (the containers) but the containers will be placed at strategic areas. Collectors will be carrying out the duty on daily basis but during morning hours,” he said.

Nairobi County has been grappling with issues of garbage collection with several parts of the city having uncollected mounds of solid waste strewn all over, posing major health and environmental hazards.

QUALITY SERVICE

But Governor Sonko has said that he is determined to ensure quality service delivery to the over two million Nairobi residents where he intends to deal with critical issues affecting them such as garbage problems, hawkers’ menace, water shortages and traffic congestion.

He said that since Monday, garbage trucks have been clearing waste from the famous Nairobi markets and estates besides venturing into areas such as Burma, Muthurwa and City markets, Sunken Car Park, Westlands, Makadara and other areas of the county.

“Our biggest challenge has been county staff who are colluding with cartels to undermine our strategies in cleaning the city,” Mr Sonko said.

Last week, the county government ordered sub-county administrators to take charge of garbage collection in their zones as the Sonko Rescue Team stopped providing the service.

Acting Environment Executive Mohamed Dagane said that sub-county administrators would henceforth be responsible for garbage collection within their areas of jurisdiction with the 17 administrators each controlling two trucks.